Coastguard grounds ships due to typhoon Milenyo

Hundreds of passengers were stranded in Cebu yesterday after the Coastguard did not allow over 15 sea vessels that weigh below 1000 gross tonnage to travel because of typhoon Milenyo. Other sea vessels bound for areas affected by the typhoon, such as areas in Eastern Visayas, were not also given permit to travel.

Passengers who did not have relatives in Cebu opted to stay in the passenger ships or at the terminal, while those who had relatives went home, while waiting for the Coastguard's go signal for them to travel.

Petty Officer 1 Francisco Mandal of the Cebu Coastguard in a radio interview yesterday said that at least 15 sea vessels at Cebu City Pier 3, Mandaue wharf, Danao City wharf and Naga wharf were not given the permission to travel due to rough seas brought about by typhoon Milenyo.

Among the sea vessels not allowed to travel were M/V Senyor San Jose de Tagbilaran bound for Ormoc, M/V Golden Express bound for Camotes, M/V Supercat bound for Ormoc, M/V Cagayan Princess bound for Naval in Leyte, M/V South Pacific bound for Bato, Leyte, M/V Clint Cebu bound for Bato, Leyte and M/V Tagbilaran Ferry bound for Palompon, Leyte.

Mandal said that these sea vessels will still have to wait for further notice from their office to make sure that it is already safe for them to travel to their respective destinations.

He, however, said that ships bound for Manila are still allowed to sail as most of these have a weight of 13,000 gross tonnage.

Meanwhile the Office of the Civil Defense and the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council in Eastern Visayas reported yesterday that there are already four barangays in Cananga town in Leyte and another two barangays in Ormoc City that are affected with floods.

Adriano Fuego of RDCC 8 said that rubber boats have been sent to sitio Agay-ayan in barangay Tugbong in Cananga, Leyte after barangay officials reported the rise of water levels. Residents in the area have already been evacuated. No casualties have been reported as of yesterday. - Flor Z. Perolina/QSB