MANILA, Philippines — As Filipinos flock back to their provinces ahead of All Saints’ Day, the Philippine Coast Guard began deploying its assets to help ensure safe passage in the face of the potential effects of Tropical Storm Paeng.
The PCG said Thursday that it had deployed 2,379 personnel as of noon. The coast guard personnel inspected 307 vessels and 283 motorbancas ahead of the Undas break.
Related Stories
They also monitored 24,655 outbound passengers and 20,397 inbound passengers in all ports and waterways across the country.
In separate advisories, the PCG said that its station in Sorsogon suspended vessel trips as a precautionary measure. Fishing boats and other small vessels are not allowed at sea during this period, the PCG said.
Deployable response groups are also on standby at the PCG’s Bicol District office and Romblon Station in the event of any incidents caused by inclement weather.
State weather bureau PAGASA also said in its 11 a.m. bulletin that Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been hoisted in a number of areas in Luzon and Visayas.
“Flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall,” it said.
The PCG said that as soon as Signal No. 1 is up, vessels are immediately disallowed from going out to sea.
“In the next 24 hours, the combined effects of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon and the approaching tropical cyclone may also bring moderate to rough seas (1.5 to 3.5 m) over the eastern seaboard of Mindanao. These conditions may be risky for those using small seacrafts. Mariners are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA also said.