MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 300 passengers are now stranded in several ports in Southern Luzon as authorities suspended sea travel due to severe tropical storm Carina, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Tuesday.
In a report, the PCG said that several ports in Quezon Province and Bicol Region have tallied 294 stranded passengers due to the suspension of sea travel in certain areas in Luzon due to severe tropical storm Carina.
As per the PCG advisory, all trips of vessels with 250 gross tonnes and below plying the route within the areas of Northern Quezon are suspended as the state weather bureau places Polillio Group of Islands in Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.
In addition, the Coast Guard said the ports of San Andres and Real house over 114 stranded passengers where one vessel, nine rolling cargoes, and two motorbancas were barred from traveling.
Meanwhile, in Bicol, the ports of Pasacao, Aroroy, Mobo, San Jacinto, San Pascual, and Bulan have recorded 180 stranded passengers with five vessels and 38 rolling cargoes barred from traveling.
In its early morning bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that Carina was located approximately 380 kilometers east-northeast of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts reaching up to 160 kph.
Carina will induce the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” resulting in moderate to intense rainfall over the western portion of Luzon.
The storm is forecast to make landfall in the northern portion of Taiwan between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, then exit the Philippine area of responsibility shortly.
Currently, PAGASA raises Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 in the following areas:
- Batanes
- Babuyan Islands
- Northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan
- Eastern portion of Isabela
- Northern portion of Apayao
- Northern portion of Ilocos Norte
- Northern portion of Aurora
- Polillo Islands
- Calaguas Islands
- Northern portion of Catanduanes
