Almost 12,000 passengers spent their Christmas this year in seaports nationwide after authorities bar ships from leaving due to the threat posed by Typhoon Nina.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) 11,522 passengers, 1,078 rolling cargoes, 37 vessels and six motorbancas have been stranded as of noontime.
The PCG has monitored a total of 30,378 outbound passengers and 27,605 inbound passengers in various ports nationwide as of yesterday.
PCG said 5,123 passengers, 549 rolling cargoes, 12 vessels, and three motorbancas are stranded in the ports in the Bicol Region where the typhoon is expected to make landfall.
Provinces in the Bicol region placed under Signal Number 2 are Camarines Sur, Masbate, Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon.
According to PCG officer-in-charge Commodore Joel Garcia, all maritime travel in areas placed under a storm signal warning are automatically suspended.
Aside from Bicol, PCG has also monitored a total of 2,548 passengers, 154 rolling cargoes, 18 vessels, and three motorbancas stranded in the ports of Southern Tagalog.
Provinces in Southern Tagalog placed under Signal Number 1 are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
In Central Visayas, PCG has tallied a total of 1,914 passengers, 147 rolling cargoes, and six vessels stranded in different ports.
PCG said there are also 1,672 passengers stranded in the different ports of Eastern Visayas along with 228 rolling cargoes and a vessel. (ARGYLL GEDUCOS)