'Basyang' weakens, strands 9000 passengers - Sun.Star

MANILA (Updated 2:37 p.m.) -- After making a total of eight landfalls in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, Tropical Storm "Basyang" (Kajiki) has weakened into a tropical depression on Saturday, the state weather bureau said.

As of 10 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Basyang was located at 339 kilometers north of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, packed with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center. Basyang moves westward at 30 kph.

Pagasa weather forecaster Fernando Cada said Basyang has a total of eight landfalls after making five landfalls Friday night.

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He said that around 12:30 a.m. Basyang made a landfall in Naga City in Cebu then at 1:30 a.m. in San Carlos, Negros Occidental and another at 3:30 a.m. in Guimaras province.

Public storm warning signals in Mindanao have been lowered.

However, Public storm warning signal number one (30-60 kph winds) remains over Romblon, Palawan, Calamian Group of Islands, southern part of Oriental Mindoro, southern part of Occidental Mindoro, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Aklan, Capiz, Antique, and Iloilo. Residents in these areas are warned against possible flash floods and landslides.

As of 6 a.m., Commander Armando Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Public Affairs chief, said that at total of 9,023 passengers were stranded in various port terminals across the country after the PCG suspended sea travels to provinces under signals 1 and 2.

Balilo said the stranded passengers were reported in Manila (3,075), Cebu (640), Dumaguete (385), Ormoc (30), Maasin (441), Catbalogan (1,764), Sorsogon (1,664), Masbate (82), Iloilo (758), Bacolod (119), Surigao (50), and Ozamis, (15).

Meanwhile, Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, Palawan Coast Guard district chief, suspended all tourism-related activities in sea including the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) boat tour and island-hopping activities in the province, particularly in Coron and El Nido, due to the bad weather.

Budget Carrier Cebu Pacific Air on Saturday has also canceled 32 of its domestic flights due to stormy weather brought by Basyang.

The affected flights include: 5J381/382 (Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila), 5J2869/2870 (Manila-Tacloban-Manila), 5J209/210 (Cebu-Cagayan de Oro-Cebu), 5J215/216 (Cagayan-Davao-Cagayan), 5J2916/2917 (Cebu-Tacloban-Cebu), 5J867/868 (Cebu-Dumaguete-Cebu), 5J873/874 (Cebu-Surigao-Cebu), 5J625/626 (Manila-Dumaguete-Manila), 5J869/870 (Cebu-Ozamiz-Cebu), 5J219/220 (Cebu-Butuan-Cebu), 5J617/618 (Manila-Tagbilaran-Manila), 5J397/398 (Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila), 5J785/786 (Manila-Butuan-Manila), 5J383/384 (Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Manila), 5J205/206 (Cebu-Cagayan de Oro-Cebu), and 5J781/782 (Manila-Ozamiz-Manila).

"We hope for your understanding as this situation is beyond the airline's control," the airline said in its latest flight bulletin.

The airline management said passengers booked in affected flights may avail of rebooking/re-routing of flights within 30 days; conversion of full value of fares in a travel fund; or full refund. (Sunnex/With PNA)

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