‘Ursula’ prompts flight cancellations in Cebu

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two airline companies have already cancelled flights to and from Cebu as Typhoon Ursula intensifies into a severe tropical storm a day before Christmas, December 24, 2019.

In an advisory released by GMR MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC ), the following trips have been cancelled for Tuesday:

CEBU PACIFIC 

DG 6577 CEB-TAC (Tacloban), ETD 04:10 p.m. DG 6578 TAC-CEB, ETD 05:30 p.m. 

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES 

PR 2234 CEB-TAC, ETD 02:00 p.m. PR 2235 TAC-CEB, ETD 03:20 p.m. 

PR 2382 CEB-IAO (Siargao), ETD 02:30 p.m. PR 2383 IAO-CEB, ETD 03:50 p.m. 

PR 2927 CEB-LGP (Legazpi), ETD 04:50 p.m. PR 2928 LGP-CEB, ETD 06:20 p.m. 

PR 2238 CEB-TAC, ETD 05:30 p.m. PR 2239 TAC-CEB, ETD 06:45 p.m. 

Avigael Ratcliffe. GMCAC Junior Corporate Communications Manages said passengers in the said flights should contact their  respective airlines for updates on their flights.

As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, December 24, the state weather bureau says the Severe Tropical Storm Ursual may further intensify into a typhoon before it makes first landfall in Eastern Samar this afternoon or tonight.

Read: Northern Cebu now under Signal no. 2

“URSULA is forecast make to landfall over Eastern Samar this afternoon or evening as a Severe Tropical Storm or Typhoon. As such, there remains a possibility that portions of Eastern Visayas will be placed under TCWS #3,” says the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

As of 7 a.m, Ursula’s center is located around 250 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Pagasa added that damaging gale to storm force winds may begin tonight in areas that are under Storm Signal no. 2 which included extreme northern Cebu.

Extreme northern Cebu includes Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar.

Here is the complete list of areas under storm signal as of 8 a.m.:

Storm Signal no.2

Luzon: Romblon, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands 

Visayas: Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, extreme northern Cebu, northeastern Iloilo, northern Antique, Capiz, and Aklan.

Storm Signal no. 1

Luzon: Bulacan, Bataan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, and Cuyo Islands 

Visayas: Southern Leyte, the rest of northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod), Central Cebu (Aloguinsan, Carcar City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Naga City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Balamban, Talisay City, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City), northeastern Bohol, the rest of Antique, the rest of Iloilo, Guimaras, northern Negros Occidental and northern Negros Oriental.

Mindanao: Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands /bmjo