Some seaports in areas affected by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) “Paeng” have already resumed operations on Sunday, Oct. 30, allowing stranded passengers to push through with their trips in time for the “Undas” 2022.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that the number of stranded passengers peaked from 12 midnight to 4 a.m. Sunday when it reached 10,464 just as Paeng was exiting the landmass of Luzon.
There were also 2,848 rolling cargoes, 152 vessels, and 12 motorbancas that were stranded in 135 affected ports in the National Capital Region (NCR), Bicol, Southern Tagalog, Palawan, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Northeastern Mindanao.
However, the number of stranded passengers went down to 2,471 as of 8 a.m. as some major ports allowed the resumption of sea trips.
“As of 2 a.m., the ports in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Northeastern Mindanao have resumed trips,” PCG spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo told reporters.
“ in Manila and Batangas are still suspended,” he added.
Search and rescue
The PCG also continued their search and rescue operations in flood-affected areas across the country.
In Himamaylayan City, Negros Occidental, about 120 families in Barangay Aguisan were evacuated by coast guard rescue teams after flood reached neck-deep.
Coast guard responders also hauled in 500 sacks of rice which will be distributed to typhoon victims in Roxas City, Capiz.
In Maguindanao, the PCG retrieved 15 cadavers, and evacuated 758 families composed of 1,962 residents during their search, rescue, and retrieval operations.
Even Metro Manila is not spared by Paeng. The PCG rescued 15 residents in Taguig City after they were trapped in their homes due to thigh-deep flood on Saturday night.
