NDRRMC: Land, sea travel suspended in more areas due to Odette

Authorities have suspended land and sea travel in more areas from different regions due to the threat of Typhoon Odette, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Wednesday.

In an update, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) of Region 8 canceled the land travel in Eastern Visayas effective on Tuesday.

The Land Transportation Office in Bicol also suspended the land travels going to Visayas and Mindanao starting Monday as well as to Catanduanes and Masbate effective Tuesday.

Philippine Coast Guard – Surigao del Sur imposed a temporary travel suspension for vessels and watercrafts with 250 gross tonnage and below starting Tuesday.

Coast Guard Station (CGS) Camotes has ordered suspension of voyages for all types of vessels and watercrafts heading to Camotes Group of Islands and Cebu province.

Also, CGS Iloilo reported that the sea trips in the following routes were also cancelled: Iloilo City to Cebu City; Estancia, Iloilo to Tabuelan,Cebu via Sagay City; Escalante City,Negros Occidental to Tuburan, Cebu; San Carlos City, Negros Occidental to Toledo City, Cebu (all vice versa).

Voyages bound for Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol and the northern and central portions of Cebu, and other areas, are also suspended, the CGS Zamboanga del Norte said.

According to CGS-Dinagat Islands, sea trips plying the routes within CGS-Surigao del Norte’s areas of responsibility are also suspended.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has ordered all concerned agencies of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to prepare for the typhoon.

“We need to be ready for this storm. Let us monitor closely and coordinate all action with all the other concerned government agencies so that those who are going home to their provinces to spend the Christmas holidays will be safe,” Tugade said in a statement on Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, the DOTr said that airports under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) have already activated their respective weather emergency standby protocols, including boarding up of glass windows and doors and the reinforcement of installations and equipment.

The DOTr said the CAAP is monitoring the movement of Odette and conditions in the various airports. The CAAP is also assessing the possibility of suspending air traffic operations in areas that will most likely be affected by the storm.

The department also said the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has complied with the advisories issued by the PCG.

State weather bureau PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 over the eastern portion of Surigao del Norte (Claver, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands) and Surigao del Sur.

Meanwhile, under TCWS No. 1 are:

• Sorsogon,
• Masbate including Ticao Island,
• southern portion of Romblon (Cajidiocan, San Fernando, Magdiwang, Alcantara, Looc, Santa Fe, San Jose)
• Eastern Samar,
• Northern Samar,
• Samar,
• Leyte,
• Biliran,
• Southern Leyte,
• Bohol,
• Cebu,
• Negros Oriental,
• Negros Occidental,
• Siquijor,
• Iloilo,
• Capiz,
• Aklan,
• Antique
• Guimaras
• Agusan del Sur,
• Agusan del Norte,
• the rest of Surigao del Norte,
• Dinagat Islands,
• the northern portion of Bukidnon (Malitbog, Impasug-Ong, Sumilao, Manolo Fortich, Libona, Baungon),
• Misamis Oriental,
• Camiguin,
• the northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Plaridel, Baliangao, Sapang Dalaga), and the
• northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Dapitan City, Sibutad, Rizal, La Libertad, Dipolog City)

—AOL/VBL, GMA News