Cebu sea trips cancelled due to ‘Inday’

Local

AS TROPICAL cyclone Inday, formerly Super Typhoon, continued to move northwestward over the Philippine Sea, sea trips in Cebu Province were cancelled on Thursday, July 9.

The Philippine Coast Guard, through its substations, issued sea travel advisories suspending the operations of motor bancas and other watercraft with a gross tonnage (GT) of 35 and below due to unfavorable sea conditions brought about by the typhoon.

The affected routes were mostly in northern Cebu such as the Carnaza–Tapilon, Malapascua Island–Maya (vice versa), Mahayahay Port–Kinatarcan, Kinatarcan–Santa Fe, and Kinatarcan–Daanbantayan (vice versa) routes.

Vessels that were still allowed to sail have been advised to take precautionary measures and continuously monitor weather updates to avoid untoward incidents.

Diving and island-hopping activities in Malapascua Island as well as at Pescador Island in Moalboal, have also been temporarily cancelled.

Trips from Polambato Port to Villa, Palompon, and Masbate were likewise cancelled due to unstable weather conditions.

The PCG advised that sea travel will resume only once sea conditions improve.

Although ‘Inday’ has no direct impact on Cebu, several local government units (LGUs) in the province have prepared for the possible effects of the weather disturbance in their respective areas.

In Danao City, residents warned of the possibility of localized flooding and rough sea conditions..

In the municipality of Bantayan, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), together with the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) and the police, conducted “rekorida” to alert and inform residents, especially those living in coastal areas

The municipality of Sogod, for its part, convened its Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to review preparedness measures and ensure that all resources are ready before, during, and after the typhoon.

Based on the Pagasa’s 11 a.m. Tropical Cyclone Bulletin today, Inday was expected to weaken, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h and gusts of up to 205 km/h as it continues moving northwestward. It was last located 865 kilometers east of Northern Luzon.

The weather bureau also hoisted a gale warning over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of the Visayas due to the typhoon.

Inday is forecasted to remain a typhoon until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday, July 11.(MyTVCebu)