Catarman, Northern Samar — At least 1,000 passengers were stranded yesterday morning in a seaport in Allen town, Northern Samar after storm signal No. 2 was hoisted over Samar Island.
Mayor Rod Laurean Suan of Allen town said 10 vessels were not allowed to leave Allen port for Matnog town in Sorsogon because of tropical storm “Chedeng,” which was upgraded into a typhoon later in the day.
At least 1,014 passengers bound for Luzon were forced to stay in Allen. They were on board nine light cars, 17 buses and 91 cargo trucks, said Suan.
Allen port serves as the main gateway of Eastern Visayas in going to various parts of Luzon.
Epifanio Pabilona, officer in charge of the Office of Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas, said the vessels would not be allowed to sail as long as the province was still under a storm signal.
“The local government unit of Allen through its social welfare office would take responsibility in feeding these stranded passengers,” Pabilona said yesterday.
Pabilona said that while the three Samar provinces — (Western) Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar-were placed under signal No. 2 as of yesterday morning, there were no heavy rains experienced in any of these provinces.
“But there were some scattered rainshowers in some parts of Eastern and Northern Samar based on the reports that we have gathered from our local disaster officers from these two provinces,” he said.
This was confirmed by Mayor Suan.
“There were no rain showers so far. The weather is fair and sunny,” he told the Inquirer in a text message yesterday morning.
However, Pabilona said all the disaster councils of these Samar provinces have been activated to achieve “zero casualty” in case Chedeng hit the provinces, particularly Northern Samar.
Chedeng was located 356 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar, as of yesterday morning, according to Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services.
Pag-asa hoisted public storm signal No. 2 over the Bicol region and the entire island of Samar yesterday Chedeng intensified into a full-blown typhoon with gusts of up to 160 kph.
Pag-asa said it has raised signal no. 2 over Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte as well as over the three Samar provinces.
Signal No. 1 has been raised over Marinduque, Masbate, Burias, Ticao Islands, southern Quezon, Polilio Island, Northern Leyte and Biliran.
Pagasa said earlier that while Chedeng had intensified into a typhoon, with winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph, it had slowed down “almost stationary.”
It is expected to be 170 km east northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar, this morning.
In a press statement, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, said it had activated its command centers in all areas where “Chedeng” was expected to hit, to include the Samar areas.
The NGCP command centers would be tasked to prepare and to implement precautions to minimize the impact of “Chedeng” on NGCP operation and facilities, according to the press statement issued yesterday.
The NGCP would also make available materials and supplies and assign line crews in strategic areas to facilitate the immediate restoration of damaged facilities in the affected areas. /INQUIRER