CEBU CITY, Philippines — More passengers are left stranded in the ports of Cebu and Bohol this Friday morning, as the weather gets fouler with barely 12 hours before the expected landfall of Tropical Depression ‘Usman’ in Eastern Samar.
At least 1, 648 passengers are now stranded in Cebu and at least 200 passengers in Bohol following the cancellation of 20 trips from these ports bound for Eastern Visayas and Southern Luzon.
The Philippine Coast Guard has cancelled trips to Romblon, Catandanues, Camarines Sur, Albay, Manila, Capiz, Northern Iloilo, Northern Negros Occidental, Aklan, Burias Island, Sorsogon, Masbate, Ticao Island, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Northern Cebu, Southern Leyte and Dinagat Island.
Trips between Cebu and Bohol have not yet been cancelled and so are the trips along the Mactan Strait.
Usman is expected to make landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar tonight, packing a maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) while moving west northwest at a speed of 10 kph.
According to the 8 a.m. bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Usman may become a tropical storm before its landfall tonight, expected at around 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Pagasa-Mactan officer-in-charge Al Quiblat said that Usman may also landfall in northern Cebu if it stays on its current course.
Usman is expected to bring less winds but heavy rains.