STRANDED PASENGERS/DEC. 28, 2018: Hundreds of passengers including tourist bound for Ormoc City and Leyte continue to arrive in Pier terminal 1 despite the announcement of the cancellation of their trips cause by typhoon Usman that stranded hundreds of passengers.(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Tropical Depression Usman, while not an extremely strong weather disturbance, is almost stationary and should not be taken lightly.
“There are a lot of weather systems working on this weak storm that makes it moves so slowly like the northeast monsoon (amihan). It is moving slower but it is gathering strength while it is at sea. We can expect heavier rains,” Alfredo Quiblat, chief of the Mactan bureau of the state-run weather agency, told Cebu Daily News by phone on Friday.
This was why disaster teams in Cebu advised the local government units (LGUs), especially in the northern portion of the province, to start conducting preemptive evacuations among residents living in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) announced that preemptive evacuation is needed to avoid casualties during the onslaught of Usman.
Jules Regner, public information officer for PDRRMO, said they were constantly monitoring the northern tips of Cebu as rains have begun to pour incessantly in the town of San Remigio, and in the islands of Bantayan and Camotes.
“Magbinantayon lang gyud kita nya magpaminaw sa unsa na ang sitwasyon. Mosunod lang ta sa mga awtoridad aron walay maangol. (We should be vigilant and we should be aware of the situation. Let us follow the directives of the authorities so there will be no casualty),” said Regner.
“Unahon lang gyud nato ang seguridad. (Let us prioritize safety),” he added.
Teams from the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) were also aiming for a zero casualty, as they prepare for the projected effect of the outer bands of TD Usman in Central Cebu, including Cebu City.
“The storm is a slow-moving one. But we have already activated all our barangay disaster units to monitor their respective areas for any signs of potential threats, especially the mountain barangays, which are prone to landslide,” said CCDRRMO head Nagiel Bañacia.
On the other hand, the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG – 7) strongly urged fishermen and owners of small vessels not to sail out to the sea until the storm passes.
This as Philippine Coast Guard personnel based in Hagnaya port in San Remigio town in northwestern Cebu rescued a parish priest and three others from a malfunctioning motorized boat that was being battered by strong waves on Friday.
Slow-moving Usman
In a severe weather bulletin issued at 8 p.m. Friday, December 28, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) spotted the eye of Usman at 240 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
State meteorologists also noted that the tropical depression, the 21st major weather disturbance to enter the country this year, has been moving erratically – from a west direction to a southwest direction.
It maintained its strength of 55 kilometers per hour (kph), with gustiness of up to 65 kph. But Usman has slowed down, with a speed of less than 10 kph, which was described as a “nearly stationary movement.”
As a result, Usman would make its first landfall later than what was earlier reported.
Pagasa projected it will hit Eastern Samar province between late Friday evening and today early morning, Saturday (December 29). It was initially reported to make its first landfall around Friday evening.
Alfredo Quiblat, chief of the Pagasa-Mactan bureau, also said that chances were high for Usman to intensify into a tropical storm before hitting Eastern Samar.
Quiblat added that it would also make another landfall within the vicinity of northern Cebu, including Bantayan Island, between Saturday morning and noon.
More stranded passengers
A slow-moving Usman also resulted to an increase in the number of passengers stranded in various ports in Cebu province.
At least 2,000 passengers have already been left stranded in the ports of Cebu and Bohol based on the reports of PCG-Central Visayas as of noon yesterday, or double the number of stranded passengers reported on Wednesday.
All trips to and from 27 areas in the country, including northern Cebu, were cancelled since they were placed under Storm Signal No. 1
These were Northern Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Groups of Islands, southern Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands, southern Occidental Mindoro and southern Oriental Mindoro in Luzon; Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Cebu including Camotes Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, and Northern Negros Occidental in Visayas; and Dinagat Islands in Mindanao.
Lt. Jr. Grade Michael John Encina, spokesperson of PCG-7, said the bulk of the stranded passengers in Cebu were at the Hagnaya port and other northern Cebu ports.
“Yung karamihan ng passengers nandun sa norte kasi dun naman ine-expect na magla-landfall yung bagyo. (The bulk of the passengers are at the northern ports as it is where the storm is expected to make a landfall),” said Encina.
“We advise that the passengers no longer go to the ports and remain at home for safety while being vigilant with the reports coming in. Anyway, we are always updating our information lines,” he added.
Encina warned that the stranded passengers are expected to increase today.
Boat in distress
Encina also reminded fisherfolk and other sailors to avoid sailing the northern Cebu seas while Usman drew closer, as waves with heights reaching between 2.8 to 7 meters and heavy rain may be too dangerous for small vessels.
On Friday morning, a motorized boat was stranded in the seas of Barangay Tacup in San Remigio town after seawater infiltrated the engine quarters of the boat.
The boat was owned by Rev. Fr. Nazario Caiban who was on his way to his parish in Barangay Doong on Bantayan Island to officiate a Mass.
Caiban and three other men, Jeosy Lopez, Alnier Lopez, and Walter Lopez left Barangay Tacup around 6 a.m. and called for help some 45 minutes after sailing.
At 10:45 a.m., the PCG-7 Hagnaya substation personnel were able to rescue the four men.
Rolando Malapano, the commander of the PCG-7 Hagnaya substation, urged residents to avoid sailing amid a stormy weather for their own safety. /WITH A REPORT FROM MOREXETTE MARIE B. ERRAM