TACLOBAN CITY – At least 1,269 passengers in various ports in Leyte and Southern Leyte were stranded as of Monday morning after the Philippine Coast Guard suspended sea travel due to tropical depression “Auring”.
These Surigao-bound and Cebu-bound passengers have been stranded since Sunday afternoon after Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) raised storm warning signal number 1 over Southern Leyte and some parts of Mindanao and Central Visayas.
Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Edgar Posadas reported that the passengers were on board of 154 trucks, buses, and light cars.
These passengers are supposed to take roll-on roll-off ferry or fast craft trips on Sunday and Monday.
The passengers were stranded at the ports in San Ricardo and Liloan, both in Southern Leyte and were bound for Surigao.
Also stranded due to Auring were passengers at the Bato and Ormoc City ports in Leyte. All passengers were for Cebu.
“We expect that the number of stranded passengers will increase since there’s still storm warning signal in Southern Leyte and Mindanao,” Posadas said.
Meanwhile, the provincial government of Southern Leyte announced on Sunday night the suspension of classes for pre-elementary, elementary and secondary schools as a precautionary measure.
Several schools in Leyte like in Tanauan and Dulag also announced suspension of classes due to Auring that resulted to flooding.
Since there is no storm warning signal in Leyte province, the Department of Education said there is no automatic suspension of classes, but it’s up to the local government to declare cancellation in their respective areas.
Citing field reports, Posadas said all provinces in the region have been experiencing cloudy skies and light to moderate rains.
Auring, packing a maximum wind of up to 45 kms kph and gustiness of 75 kph, first made its landfall over Siargao Island Sunday afternoon and made its second landfall in Ubay, Bohol early Monday morning. SARWELL Q. MENIANO
