BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) allowed the partial resumption of sea trips in the northern part of Negros Occidental yesterday after almost two days of suspension due to Tropical Depression “Agaton.”
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) lifted the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 in some parts of northern Cebu, thus trips between San Carlos City (Negros Occidental) and Toledo City (Cebu) were allowed to resume, according to Commander Joe Luviz Mercurio, PCG-Northern Negros Occidental station chief.
However, as of press time trips from Escalante City and Sagay City to Tabuelan (Cebu) remained suspended.
Even though Pagasa also lifted the storm signal in Tabuelan, Mercurio said the decision not to resume sea travel in the said areas was due to the northeastern part of Cebu still under a Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal, as well as unsafe sea conditions in the said routes.
As of 8 a.m. yesterday Mercurio said there were no more stranded passengers in the ports of Escalante and Sagay.
On Monday, 160 Cebu-bound travelers from Escalante and 33 from Sagay City got stranded after the PCG suspended sea trips on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, trips between Bacolod City and Dumangas, Iloilo and Iloilo City remain unaffected.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, “Agaton” will continue to dampen parts of the country, while tropical cyclone “Basyang” (international name: “Malakas”) already left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“Agaton” packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 75 kph. It is almost stationary over Llorente, Eastern Samar.
This will continue to bring moderate to heavy, with at times intense rains over Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, the northern and central portions of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Antique, Guimaras, and the northern and central portions of Negros provinces. Light to moderate, with at times heavy rains will continue to prevail over Mimaropa, Dinagat Islands, Zamboanga del Norte, Quezon, and the rest of Bicol Region and the Visayas./PN