Over 4,400 passengers stranded as Ada disrupts sea travel

More than 4,400 passengers were stranded in several ports across the country as Tropical Storm Ada continued to affect sea travel, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Friday.

From 12 a.m. to 4 a.m., the PCG said  a total of 4,419 passengers, 1,828 rolling cargoes, and 21 vessels were stranded.

Also, 11 vessels sought shelter.

Most of the stranded passengers were recorded in Bicol with 1,877, followed by Eastern Visayas with 1,573, Northeastern Mindanao with 805 passengers, and Central Visayas with 164.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, state weather bureau PAGASA said Ada was last located 370 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte or 430 km east of Maasin City, Southern Leyte.

Ada was moving north northwestward slowly.

The tropical storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. 

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over 15 areas. —VAL, GMA Integrated News