SEA trips in Negros Occidental resumed Sunday after the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration (Pagasa) lifted the storm signal in some parts of the Visayas.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bacolod City cancelled all sea trips in the province Saturday due to heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression Urduja.
Affected sea trips were fastcrafts bound for Iloilo City from Bacolod City and vessels plying various ports in the province, including Escalante City to Tabuelan, Cebu; Sagay City to Tabuelan, Cebu; Victorias City to Ajuy, Iloilo; and Cadiz City to Bantayan, Cebu.
Due to suspension of trips, hundreds of passengers were stranded in different ports of the province.
Lieutenant Senior Grade Jimmy Vingno, head of PCG-Bacolod, said more than 700 passengers were stranded at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port in Bacolod City on Saturday.
Vingno said trips of roll-on, roll-off vessels in various ports resumed at 11 a.m. Sunday while sea trips in Bacolod resumed later in the afternoon, at 5 p.m.
Fishing boats and other small seacrafts were also advised not to venture out to the sea because the gale warning has not been lifted yet, he said.
Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, head of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Division, said there was no reported flooding or evacuation in various parts of the province due to the downpour over the weekend.
He said local disaster offices were advised to closely monitor the weather condition and implement a preemptive evacuation if necessary.
In the latest weather bulletin, Pagasa said that Tropical Depression Urduja has slightly changed its course.
Signal Number 1 is raised over the southern part of Mindoro, Romblon, and Palawan, Aklan, Antique and Capiz.
Urduja is forecast to move west southwest at 15 kph, placing it in the vicinity of Taytay, Palawan by Monday afternoon.
It is forecast to be at 280 kilometers west of Puerto Princesa, Palawan and at 275 kilometers south southwest of Pagasa Island, Palawan, or outside the Philippine area of responsibility, by Wednesday afternoon. (with reports from SunStar Philippines)