Fuel shortage hits Albay as floods strand supply trucks

LONG WAIT Vehicles line up along Maharlika Highway in Camarines Sur as they wait for the floodwaters to subside, as seen in this drone shot in Milaor town at noon on Sunday. Only heavy vehicles, buses, and trucks are allowed to travel on Saturday while light vehicles are still stranded due to floods. —Photo courtesy of Chinitong Manlalakbay

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY, Philippines — Several gasoline stations in Albay have temporarily shut down due to a fuel shortage as delivery trucks remained stranded along flooded highways in Camarines Sur.

Severe flooding has left Maharlika Highway congested with stranded vehicles in San Fernando, Milaor, and Naga City as of Monday, nearly a week since most of the Bicol Region was submerged in up to 15 feet of water due to extremely high rainfall brought by Several Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) on Oct. 22.

The highway along Camarines Sur is a key link for those heading for Albay and Sorsogon provinces from Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

As of Oct. 26, only trucks, buses, and other heavy vehicles could pass through the flooded highway.

Ivan Karl Nipa, a gasoline attendant at a major station at Barangay Busay in Daraga town of Albay, said they closed on Sunday afternoon after running out of diesel and gasoline, as their delivery tankers are stuck in San Fernando, awaiting the clearing of traffic.

“Our last delivery was a week before Kristine hit the Bicol Region. On Oct. 22, land travel between Metro Manila and Bicol has been suspended,” Nipa said.

He said they also stopped selling fuel in bulk since last week so they could serve individual customers and service vehicles.

In the town proper, Daraga Fuels ran out of gasoline but was still selling diesel. But the stock was expected to run out by Monday afternoon, said an employee, Sheovy Martillano.

“We’re expecting more supplies, but it’s unlikely they’ll arrive on time,” Martillano told the Inquirer.

Long queues of motorists have formed at the few fuel stations still operating in Daraga and other towns, as most stations in Legazpi City, Albay’s capital, have closed.

Mobilization challenges

Dante Baclao, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Office, said they expect eight fuel tankers to arrive but were facing delays due to a 30- to 40-kilometer traffic backlog in Camarines Sur.

“We can still mobilize for now, but if supplies deplete, relief and clearing operations will be affected,” Baclao said in a phone interview on Monday.

He added fuel tankers were being prioritized for travel alongside vehicles carrying food and essential goods.

Vincent Nato, assistant director of the Land Transportation Office Bicol, said traffic was beginning to ease on Monday afternoon.

However, floodwater that submerged Agos Bridge, which links Bato town in Camarines Sur and Polangui in Albay, continued to block light vehicles.

Gremil Alexis Naz, spokesperson for the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, reported that 97 roads and bridges in the region remain impassable due to flooding and damage. Even with improved weather, 479 villages across Albay and Camarines Sur were still submerged on Monday.

Kristine brought torrential rains to the Bicol Region on Oct. 22, leaving 48 dead, 21 injured and five missing.