CEBU CITY, Philippines — Several sea vessel trips in the Visayas were cancelled on Monday, August 5, due to unfavorable sea condition.
At the Aduana Port in Cebu, five trips of Ocean Jet bound for Tagbilaran and Getafe towns in Bohol were cancelled.
Ocean Jet also cancelled its trips to Ormoc and Camotes. MV St. Baraquiel and St. Sariel, both bound for Ormoc, did not leave the port.
Negros Oriental-bound trips of MBCA Super SM and MV Balt-belt Journey in the port of Bantayan were also cancelled.
Trips of motorized pump boats from Olango Island to mainland Lapu-Lapu City were also suspended the whole day.
Cebu and the rest of the Visayas continue to be under gale warning, said the Gale Warning Advisory No. 14 issued by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
This means that fisherfolks and small sea vessels are discouraged to venture out to the sea due to the danger of strong waves and winds.
The areas of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in Central Visayas; Samar, Leyte, and Biliran in Eastern Visayas; and Negros Occidental, Guiramas, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Antique in Western Visayas may expect waves to be as high as 4.5 meters.
Winds in these areas may also reach up to 63 kilometers per hour along with cloudy skies and scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.
The other areas placed under gale warning are the provinces of Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan, Camarines Provinces, Catanduanes, Quezon including Polillo Island, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Burias and Ticao Island, Surigao, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Island, and Siargao.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Hanna has slightly intensified as it moved north-northwest, said the state weather bureau.
Pagasa said the center of TS Hanna was some 875 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City as of 10 a.m. on Monday, August 6.
It was moving with a speed of 15 kilometers per hour and maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 105 kilometers per hour. / celr