Over 2,000 stranded passengers at Sorsogon port allowed to sail

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—The Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol on Monday allowed over 2,000 passengers stranded at the port in Matnog, Sorsogon, since Sunday to board their respective ships and sail for the Visayas.

Bernardo Alejandro, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol, said that 2,023 passengers were allowed to board their vessels after the Coast Guard lifted at around 5 a.m. Monday its “no sailing” order it issued the day before when public storm warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the Samar provinces.

He said that after lifting all storm warning signals in Samar, the Coast Guard also permitted 136 trucks, 64 cars and 43 buses to board their vessels, all bound for Samar.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration located Typhoon “Lawin” at 405 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up 220 kph.

In a bulletin issued 11 a.m. Monday, Pagasa said Lawin was moving north northwest at 7 kph.

Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with occasional moderate to heavy rains, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Small sea crafts and fishing boats were advised not to sail due to moderate to rough coastal waters in these areas.