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CEBU CITY, Philippines - At least 1,166 persons were stranded in Cebu on Sunday as the Philippine Coast Guard has yet to lift its order barring 14 vessels from travelling to areas affected by tropical depression “Auring.”
Signal no. 1 was lowered in Cebu and limited to Eastern Samar by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
But “Auring” may remain stationary in the country for a week due to a cold front caused by the northeast monsoon or Amihan, according to the PAGASA’s Mactan office.
The PAGASA central office in Manila said "Auring" packed winds of 55 kilometers per hour and was threatening Eastern Visayas and parts of northeast Mindanao earlier Saturday.
But while the government weather bureau said it will not declare a storm signal since they consider Auring as a “weak storm,” they will continue to monitor its movements.
“It will no longer cross the Visayas,” PAGASA Director Dr. Prisco Nilo said, explaining that as of 4 p.m. Sunday, Auring changed path and was moving away from the region at 7 kilometers per hour.
In PAGASA's 4:30 p.m. bulletin, "Auring" was detected at 80 kilometers southeast of Guiuan in Eastern Samar.
Only Eastern Samar was placed under Storm Signal No. 1.
But Nilo said northeast Mindanao and the Bicol region were expected to have light rains.
PAGASA said "Auring" was forecast to be at 150 kilometers northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar or 200 kilometers east southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar on Monday and at 300 kilometers northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar by Tuesday.
By Wednesday afternoon, "Auring" is expected to be at 420 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes.
Despite this, both the local PAGASA office and the Coast Guard warned that large waves will pose danger for small boat operators.
The Coast Guard prohibited travel from Cebu to Ormoc City and vice-versa.
Five vessels — the MV Gloria 2, MV Rosalla 3, MV Lady of Guadalupe, MV TAG ferry, and MV Fiji – headed to Hilongos port, Bato and Palompon were barred from sailing as of Saturday night because of the weather condition.
About 436 passengers were advised to remain in Cebu.
The Coast Guard also grounded five motor bancas in Camotes Island bound for the different ports in the cities of Mandaue and Danao.
Passenger vessels such as the MV Esperanza 8, MV Golden Express 2, MV Wonderful Star, an MV Melrivic 3 that were headed to headed for Bato Leyte, Ormoc and Camotes likewise remained moored on the docks.
The Coast Guard said vessels bound for Bohol, like Super Cat and Weesam Express were allowed to sail since their routes were unaffected by the weather.
The affected areas include Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Camotes Island, Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island, and Dinagat Island.
Other vessels whose routes are affected by Auring will also be prohibited from sailing.
Meanwhile, two planes of Philippine Airlines and one plane of the Cebu Pacific Air covering the Manila-Cagayan de Oro route were diverted temporarily to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) due to bad weather at their destination on Sunday.
Candido Chan Jr. of the MCIA operations division said that PR 1817 and PR 281 of PAL landed at the MCIA at 10:34 a.m. and 10:40 a.m., respectively while Cebu Pacific Air Cebu 383 arrived at 10:46 a.m.
Chan said the passengers did not disembark since the planes were just waiting for the skies at their destination to clear.
PR 1817 left Manila for Cagayan de Oro at 12:12 p.m., PR 281 left at 11:32 a.m. and Cebu 383 left at 12:07 p.m., he said.
Chan said the operations at the MCIA remained normal. /With stories from Reporter Marian Z. Codilla and Inquirer
