BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA AND ADRIAN STEWART CO
BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended sea trips bound to and plying on some areas in Western Visayas directly affected by Tropical Depression “Vicky.”
Yesterday morning, PCG-Negros Occidental grounded all roll-on, roll-off, and fast craft vessels at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port here.
Commander Ludovico Librilla, PCG-Negros Occidental chief, said at least 30 passengers bound for Iloilo City arrived at the port but they were told to go home and wait for the resumption of the trips.
Meanwhile, PCG-Iloilo suspended trips of traditional motorboats plying the Iloilo City – Guimaras route and vice versa.
Only modernized or fiberglass boats bound for Guimaras were permitted to set sail.
Vicky is the first cyclone typhoon to hit the country in December. It made landfall in the vicinity of Baganga, Davao Oriental around 2 p.m. on Friday.
The central and southern portions of Panay, parts of Guimaras and Negros Occidental were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) No. 1 due to the typhoon.
Intermittent rains were expected in the next 36 hours, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its 11 a.m. weather bulletin.
TCWS No. 1 is in effect in Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, San Enrique, San Rafael, Passi City, Bingawan, Calinog, Lambunao, Janiuay, Banate, Anilao, Dingle, Dueñas, Badiangan, Barotac Nuevo, Zarraga, Pototan, Dumangas, Mina, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Iloilo City, Pavia, Cabatuan, Maasin, Alimodian, San Miguel, Leon, Oton, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Guimbal, Igbaras, Miag-ao and San Joaquin in Iloilo.
Also included are the southern portion of Antique, including Valderrama, San Remigio, Sibalom, Hamtic,
Tobias Fornier, Anini-y, Bugasong, Laua-An, Patnongon, San Jose, and Belison.
In an advisory, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) reminded local disaster councils to properly disseminate necessary information to their constituents.
“This local effort will complement and reinforce efforts at the regional level. Emphasis should be on proactive actions-evacuation rather than rescue,” RDRRMC officer-in-charge Melissa Banias said.
The RDRRMC also convened for a pre-disaster risk assessment in preparation for weather disturbance. (With PNA/PN)
