ALMOST 20 passengers were stranded in four seaports in Negros Occidental after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Bacolod cancelled trips on Friday due to strong rains brought by Tropical Storm Urduja.

Sea trips bound from Escalante City to Tabuelan, Cebu; Sagay City to Tabuelan, Cebu; Victorias City to Ajuy, Iloilo; and Cadiz City to Bantayan, Cebu have been cancelled.

Lieutenant Senior Grade Jimmy Vingno, chief of PCG-Bacolod, said northern Cebu and northern Iloilo are under Tropical Cyclone Signal Warning Number 1, thus, watercrafts plying these areas are suspended.

The passengers took a respite at the sea ports of Sagay, Tabuelan, Victorias and Cadiz while waiting for the next weather advisory.

Vingno advised the stranded passengers to go home and monitor the travel advisory due to the slow movement of the typhoon which is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility in four to five days.