THE Coast Guard Station (CGS) Central Cebu has temporarily suspended voyages of all types of sea vessels bound for areas under tropical cyclone warning signal due to severe tropical storm Quinta.
In a notice he issued on Sunday, Oct. 25. 2020, CGS Central Cebu acting commander Alvin Dagalea said the order was a protective measure to avoid maritime accidents.
Dagalea, however, said sea trips will resume when the weather and sea condition in affected areas improve.
The CGS Cebu will allow vessels to take shelter as long as there is a written request and there are no passengers on board.
In a separate interview, Jhomer Eclarino, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan station weather specialist, said there is less chance that a tropical cyclone warning will be issued over Central Visayas, as there is no gale warning.
However, he said Region 7 can still feel moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough sea condition with wave height of 1.2 to 4.0 meters.
He said Metro Cebu can experience light to moderate with occasional heavy rains and thunderstorm due to the trough or extension of Quinta until Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards, he said.
The state weather bureau said Quinta intensified into a severe tropical storm at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
With maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km/h, Quinta threatens Catanduanes, Albay and Sorsogon provinces in Bicol region, where it was forecast to make landfall.
On Sunday, the 16-man crew of mv Good Fortune, which was carrying 1,640 metric tons of cement, was rescued by the CG Eastern Bohol after receiving their distress call at 12:46 p.m.
The vessel owned by Tektite Shipping encountered engine trouble after leaving the City of Naga, Cebu for Bicol on Saturday night, Oct. 24.
The vessel was found 8.5 nautical miles east of Ubay, Bohol and 13 nautical miles west of Maasin, Southern Leyte.
The captain of mv Good Fortune said they encountered strong winds and big waves. He said their main engine malfunctioned when water got into the ship’s deck.
According to Pagasa, Quinta will intensify into a typhoon as it moves westward by Tuesday, Oct. 27, but it is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility later that afternoon.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected Sunday until Monday morning over Bicol Region, Calabarzon, Aurora, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Calamian Islands, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Aklan and Antique.
The tail-end of a frontal system will likewise bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.
These two weather systems will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, the rest of Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Mimaropa.
Rough to very rough seas will prevail over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon (3.0 to 5.5 meters) and the seaboards of Aurora, Zambales, northern Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands (2.5 to 4.5 meters), and all areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 2 and no. 1 (2.5 to 5.5 meters).
Moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 2.8 meters) will be experienced over the other seaboards of the country Sunday. (WBS / MVI / SunStar Philippines)