‘Seniang’ strands hundreds in Visayas ports

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—About 3,000 passengers were stranded in Western Visayas on Monday as Tropical Storm Seniang (international name: Jangmi) hit parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

The Coast Guard suspended sea travel between Iloilo and Negros Occidental and between Iloilo and Guimaras after parts of Western Visayas were placed under storm signals. Also suspended were trips departing from or going to areas under storm signals.

Lt. Cmdr. Dominador Senador III, Iloilo Coast Guard station commander, said 1,050 passengers were stranded at the port of Dumangas in Iloilo, and 490 in Iloilo City.

Commodore Athelo Ybañez, Coast Guard Western Visayas commander, reported that 1,198 passengers were stranded in Bacolod City, 139 in San Carlos City, 45 in Danao in Escalante City and 35 in Pulupundan town, all in Negros Occidental

Continued rains and gusty winds were also experienced in parts of the region.

Public storm signal number 2 was raised over Bohol, Siquijor, Southern Cebu, Negros Oriental, Southern part of Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, and Dinagat Province.

Those under Storm Signal No. 1 were Leyte, Southern Leyte, Camotes Island, Rest of Cebu, Rest of Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Southern part of Iloilo, southern part of Antique, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Agusan del Sur.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils have been placed on alert for pre-emptive evacuations and other responses.

In Bohol, 369 persons or 78 families were evacuated from Barangay Poblacion, one of the coastal villages of Talibon town.

Robiseto Artiaga, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer, more families were being evacuated in the villages of San Isidro, San Francisco and San Pedro.

Bohol provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio said local disaster councils have been alerted since Sunday.

In Cebu City, rains triggered a landslide in Balamban town on Monday morning as typhoon signal No. 1 was raised over the province of Cebu.

Jules Regner, information officer of the PDRRMO told the Inquirer, that there was a reported landslide in Barangay Cansomoroy about 9 a.m. on Monday. No casualties were reported.

Regner said the landslide happened beside a road but the road was still passable.

Cmdr. Weniel Azcuna, chief of staff of the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas, said that as of noon Monday, 7,400 passengers were stranded in the different ports in Central Visayas, including Cebu, Bohol, Siquijior and Negros Oriental. Cebu and Negros Oriental have been placed under typhoon signal no. 1 while Bohol and Siquijor were under signal no. 2. A total of 48 vessels were grounded. These vessels are bound for Cebu, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, and Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

In Bacolod City, Acting Negros Occidental Gov. Salvador Escalante Jr. declared a full alert status over the province as the storm approached. The PDRRMC also declared a full alert status and directed local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMC) to do the same.

All responders and emergency vehicles were placed on standby, along with the public health personnel and social workers, with their relief goods ready for distribution when needed, Escalante said. Other personnel of key offices will be on call to assist when deemed necessary, he added.

The DRRMC chairpersons were also directed to assess their local situation and decide on the need to call for preemptive evacuation of their residents in areas under threat of landslides, flooding and storm surges, he said.

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