TYPHOON Bising (Surigae), which is now nearly a supertyphoon traversing over the Philippine Sea, has halted sea travel and stranded 2,301 people in various ports in Eastern Visayas, Bicol and Mindanao.
As of 8 a.m. Sunday, April 18, 2021, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 941 persons, six vessels and 408 rolling cargoes were stranded in Eastern Visayas ports.
Lord Byron Torrecarion, Office of Civil Defense regional director for Eastern Visayas, said they have asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to bring the stranded passengers home to avoid overcrowding at the ports.
In Bicol, 995 individuals, seven vessels and 319 rolling cargoes were also stranded.
In various ports of northeastern Mindanao, the PCG said 365 persons were stranded along with two vessels and 199 rolling cargoes.
In Central Visayas, 23 vessels and 40 rolling cargoes were not allowed to leave the ports.
The typhoon, which was packing winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 265 kph as of 10 a.m. Sunday, was forecast to bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region.
Flooding, including flashfloods, and rain-induced landslides could occur, state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) no. 2 has been raised over the province of Catanduanes and the entire island of Samar, which is composed of the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.
TCWS no. 1 is up over the following:
LUZON
The eastern portion of Camarines Norte (San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Vinzons, Talisay, Daet, Mercedes, Basud), Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
VISAYAS:
Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and the northern portion of Cebu (Tabogon, Borbon, San Remigio, Bogo City, Medellin, Daanbantayan) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
MINDANAO:
Dinagat Islands, Siargao Island, and Bucas Grande Island
Pagasa has lifted the warning signal over Surigao del Sur and other areas of Surigao del Norte.
The weather bureau said winds of up to near gale in strength will extend outward up to 440 kilometers from the center of the typhoon while destructive winds will extend outward up to 110 kilometers from the center of the typhoon.
The typhoon was spotted at 375 kilometer east of Juban, Sorsogon at 10 a.m. Sunday. It was moving northwestward at 20 kph.
Meanwhile, a search and rescue team of PCG Station Davao Oriental and Special Operations Unit - Southeastern Mindanao rescued five passengers of a submerged motorbanca in the waters of Pujada Bay, Mati City at around 5 p.m. Saturday, April 17.
The motorbanca departed from Barangay Macabol, Mati City and was on its way to the Vanishing Island in Davao del Norte when it encountered huge waves and capsized. (With Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)