‘Marce’ strands 10,000 passengers, cancels 27 flights

More than 10,000 passengers are stranded at several ports all over the country due to rough seas spawned by Tropical Storm “Marce” (international name:  Tokage)  as it made its way across the Philippines.

The Philippine Coast Guard said a total of 10,251 passengers, 1,401 rolling cargoes, 161 vessels and 58 motorized bancas were stuck in various harbors mostly in the Visayas.

Marce also grounded 27 domestic flights yesterday.

According to the Manila International Airport Authority among those canceled were Cebu Pacific flights from Manila to and from San Jose, Virac and Caticlan.

Also grounded were Philippine Airlines Express flights from Manila to and from Roxas, Caticlan and Busuanga.

PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo said most were in Central Visayas, which had 3,102 passengers and 68 vessels stranded in ports.

This was followed by the Bicol region, which recorded 2,513 passengers and 24 vessels.

Southern Luzon, on the other hand, had 1,880 passengers and 33 vessels stranded.

Eastern Visayas registered 1,067 passengers and seven vessels stuck in ports, followed by the Western Visayas which had 845 passengers and 14 vessels stranded.

Northern Mindanao had the least number of stranded passengers at 844 and 15 vessels.

Marce had made four landfalls since Thursday afternoon. It was about to make landfall over the Calamian group of Islands as of press time.

As of yesterday afternoon, 10 areas had already been placed under typhoon signals as Marce continued to cross west over southern Luzon and Visayas.

In its 5 p.m. weather update, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the Calamian group of Islands, Cuyo Island, southern Occidental Mindoro and southern Oriental Mindoro were placed under Signal No. 2.

Signal No. 1 was also hoisted over the rest of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro, northern Palawan and Romblon, and Aklan and Antique in the Visayas region.

As of yesterday afternoon, Marce was located at five kilometers southeast of Coron, Palawan, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph, with moderate to heavy rainfall expected within its 300-km diameter.

The storm is forecast to move west-northwest at 22 kph, and is expected to be 245 km west-southwest of Iba, Zambales, by this afternoon.

Marce is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday.

Residents of areas under storm signals, as well as the Bicol region and the province of Aurora and Quezon, were warned of possible flash floods and landslides.

Pagasa also warned against sea travel over the northern and eastern seaboards of northern Luzon and the seaboards of Central and southern Luzon.  —WITH A REPORT FROM JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE