CEBU CITY—Close to 2,000 passengers going home for “Undas” were stranded in various ports in Central Visayas due to severe tropical storm “Paeng,” the Philippine Coast Guard-Central Visayas (PCG 7) said on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The PCG 7 said 1,708 passengers were stranded in seaports after vessels were not allowed to sail to and from Cebu.
In Jagna, Bohol, a passenger vessel ran aground while trying to dock at 11:40 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28.
“It was dragged by strong winds to her current aground position while maneuvering and preparing to anchor at Jagna anchorage,” said said Coast Guard Ensign Jordz Emata, information officer of PCG 7. Emata said all 23 crew members were safe.
The PCG-Eastern Bohol has been monitoring the vessel’s situation and no oil spill was reported, Emata said. Attempts to extract the vessel will continue during high tide, Emata added.
Passengers had started arriving in port and bus terminals in Cebu when sea trips to and from Cebu were cancelled at noon Friday.
According to PCG 7, as of noon Saturday, 275 people were stranded at the Toledo City port in western Cebu. Most of the passengers were bound for San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
There were also 421 stranded passengers in the port of Samboan town, south Cebu.
The Cebu Ports Authority listed 173 stranded passengers at Hagnaya Port in San Remigio town, north Cebu.
In Cebu City, at least 131 passengers bound for Bohol, Leyte, and Mindanao were stranded. Some of the stranded passengers were brought to the Cebu City Sports Center for while awaiting the resumption of trips.