At least 800 still stranded at Luzon, Visayas ports due to Enteng

MANILA, Philippines — At least 800 people were still stranded at ports in Luzon and Visayas on Tuesday due to bad weather caused by Tropical Storm Enteng, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

As of 4:00 a.m., 801 passengers, drivers, and cargo helpers remain at ports in Pangasinan, and regions of Calabarzon, Bicol, and Western Visayas, while 23 vessels and 34 motor bancas took shelter at these harbors.

At one point, the PCG reported that 3,383 people were stranded at Calabarzon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Western Visayas ports amid strong waves amid gusty and rainy weather.

READ: Enteng may intensify again; Signal No. 2 up in 6 areas

Marikina River as of 3:15 p.m., September 2, 2024. | PHOTO: Arlene Lim / INQUIRER.net

The latest storm bulletin indicated that Enteng (international name: Yagi) slightly weakened as it crossed the mountainous regions of Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Region but may again intensify as it approached the West Philippine Sea.

The state weather bureau said in its 5:00 a.m. dispatch that the center of Tropical Storm Enteng was located over the waters of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 125 kph while moving northwest at 25 kph.

“Enteng is forecast to continue moving generally northwestward over the next 24 hours and is expected to turn westward over the West Philippine Sea starting tomorrow (4 September) until it [reaches] Hainan, China, on Saturday (7 September),” it said.

The tropical storm brought strong winds and rains in most parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, tearing off roofs, uprooting trees, toppling concrete electric posts, and turning streets into rivers in several parts of the region.

The landslides and flooding it caused left at least 13 people dead, based on initial reports from national and local disaster response agencies.