Satellite image of “Urduja” from Pagasa website
About 9,000 distressed passengers were stranded due to inclement weather brought by tropical storm “Urduja,” the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Friday.
In its 3:00 p.m. advisory, the PCG said that 9,028 passengers were stranded while 859 vessels, 30 rolling cargoes and 20 motor bancas were prevented from sailing in the ports and bays of Manila, Central Luzon, Bicol and Western Visayas.
This, as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned that sea travel remains risky over the eastern seaboards of Bicol region and of Visayas.
The PCG advised all its units to strictly implement the guidelines regarding the movement of vessels during the bad weather.
Under the guidelines, no vessel of any type of seacraft should be allowed to sail except to take shelter, if the situation warrants, when Storm Signal No. 1 or higher is raised.
As of 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Pagasa raised storm signals in 17 areas across the country. /jpv
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