4,939 passengers stranded in Bicol ports–OCD

LEGAZPI CITY—-The number of stranded passengers reached 4,939 on Friday after the Philippine Coast Guard issued a “no sailing order” in ports in Sorsogon, Albay and Masbate in Bicol in the wake of typhoon ‘‘Dodong.’’

Rachelle Miranda, public information officer of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol, said as of 4 p.m. 3,941 passengers were stranded in Sorsogon, 984 in Albay and 14 in Masbate.

She said 369 vehicles were also stranded in Sorsogon, 66 in Albay, 11 in Catanduanes and 2 in Masbate.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, in its 5 p.m. bulletin on Friday, located Dodong at 510 kilometers east of Sorsogon City with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hours near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph. It is moving west northwest at 20 kph.

Pagasa raised public storm warning signal number 2 in Catanduanes while signal number one was raised in Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Polillo Island, Aurora, Quirino, Isabela, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.

In Virac, Catanduanes, Senior Supt. Adelio Benjamin Castillo, director of the Catanduanes police, said police and Army personnel, including rescue teams in the province, were on standby, while DRRMC teams in 11 towns have been placed on 24/7 duty. AU