Brace for rainy New Year’s Eve

CEBU, Philippines - Over 3,000 passengers and 33 trips were cancelled yesterday in Central Visayas as tropical depression Seniang entered the country.

In yesterday’s 5 p.m. weather bulletin of PAGASA, the entire Central Visayas (Cebu Province including Camotes Island, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental) was placed under public storm warning signal number 1.The yearend tropical cyclone is projected to make landfall today, Monday, over Tandag, Surigao del Sur, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and moving northwest north at 13 kph.

This is stronger than yesterday noon’s bulletin with winds of 45 kph and westward movement of 11 kph.  Seniang is expected to bring rains and rough seas to neighboring provinces in both Visayas and Mindanao.

The state weather bureau sees that the tropical depression will intensify as it hits landmass today. Based on PAGASA forecast storm track, Seniang will pass through Camiguin, southern Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor and Zamboanga.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday the Philippine Coast Guard Central Visayas command recorded a total of 3,711 passengers stranded.

In Cebu, there were 16 trips prevented from sailing. Large vessels and fast ferries cancelled trips included MV Ocean Jet 8 from Pier 1 to Ormoc, MV Weesam 7 from Pier 1 to Ormoc, MV Filipinas Dapitan from Pier 1 to Calbayog, MV Filipinas Dinagat from Pier 1 to Dumaguete, MV Filipinas Ozamiz pier 1 to Tagbilaran, Saint Jhudiel from Pier 1 to Ormoc, Weesam 8 from Pier 1 to Ormoc, Lite Ferry 5 from Pier 1 to Tagbilaran, MV J&N from Pier 1 to Ubay, MV StarCraft 9 from Pier 1 to Tubigon, MV Lite Ferry 25 from Taloot, Argao to Tagbilaran, MV Mika Mari VI from San Francisco, Camotes to Danao.

Motorized bancas which were disallowed to sail included the Balt Dream from Bantayan Island to Estancia, Iloilo; the San Antonio from Liloan, Santander to Sibulan; the Mary Lou from Liloan, Santander to Sibulan; and the Jhetel 1 from Liloan, Santander to Sibulan.

Bohol had 12 trips cancelled as well including MV Oceanjet 888 from Tagbilaran to Cebu City, MV Lite Ferry 10 from Tagbilaran to Cebu City, LCLT Brendan from Tagbilaran to Mandaue city, MV Lite Jet 1 from Tubigon to Cebu city, MV Lite Ferry 12 from Tubigon to Cebu city, MV Starcraft 2 from Tubigon to Cebu city, MV Starcraft 6 from Tubigon to Cebu city, MV Starcraft 9 from Tubigon to Cebu city, MV J&N Carrier from Ubay, Bohol to Cebu city, MV Lady of Guadalupe Cebu from Ubay, Bohol to Bato, Leyte.

Motorbancas from Bohol which were prevented from sailing included the Meme 4 from Getafe to Lapu-Lapu City and the Clemer II from Getafe to Cordova.

Coast Guard Dumaguete station reported vessels monitored from their port to have taken to safer seas included the motorbanca GL Express 2 and the MV Maria Kristina which took shelter in Siquijor, MV Oceanjet 3 which took shelter in Bohol, MV Tug Sarin which took shelter in Dapitan and the MV Jehan 5 which took shelter to San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

Blue alert

Even if tropical depression Seniang will not directly hit Cebu City, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has declared that it is on blue alert.

City Councilor and CCDRRMC chairman David Tumulak said that blue alert status means that the disaster team is constantly monitoring the weather update for further preparations to be undertaken.

“Blue alert status na ta karon, and we are now having the inventory of the equipment and tools for rescue and operations. Ready napod atong responders, rescuers, and department heads to convene if necessary,” he said, adding that the city has pre-positioned all communication, medical and disaster equipment.

Tumulak said that this is not to cause alarm, but to prepare for the weather disturbance.

While admitting that Seniang is less powerful than Ruby, he said that the tropical depression should not be treated lightly. With this, he cautioned the public to also monitor weather updates so that they will get first hand information.

Tumulak said that barangay’s disaster teams have been activated to respond to any incidents. He said that the weather disturbance will be out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday.

“Rainy atong celebration sa New Year,” he said.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is also on blue alert.

Julius Regner, information officer of the PDRRMO, said their personnel are now on standby for monitoring and sending out advisories to the local government units and directed them to activate their disaster response team.

Families living in low-lying and landslide-prone areas are advised to take precautionary measures, Regner said.

He added that tropical depression Seniang may follow the track of tropical depression Queenie which hovered over southern part of the province last month and left over P200 million in damage to agriculture and livestock. —with Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Michael Vencynth H. Braga/BRP