Over 4,000 passengers stranded in ports due to Odette –PCG

Over 4,000 passengers were stranded in various ports in the country after cancellation of trips due to the rough sea condition brought by Typhoon Odette, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The PCG said at least 4,358 passengers were stranded, while 1,969 rolling cargoes, 90 vessels, and nine motorbancas were forced to take shelter.

Sea trips affected by the typhoon were in Eastern Visayas, Bicol, Central Visayas, Northeastern Mindanao, and Western Visayas.

“Mabuti na ito at nag-iingat tayo. Ayaw nating makompromiso ang safety. Maging proactive at ‘yun naman ang ginawa natin. ‘Yung mga kababayan natin, tumawag sa shipping companies kung papayagan pang maglayag o hindi,” PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo said in Emil Sumangil’s “24 Oras” report on Thursday.

(This is good that we are taking precautions. We don’t want to compromise passenger safety. We were being  proactive and that is what we did. Kindly call the shipping companies if their trips are cancelled.)

He also advised passengers to postpone their trips until after the typhoon leaves the country’s landmass.

“Nananawagan tayo sa mga kababayan natin na patuloy na i-monitor itong bagyo, lalo na ‘yung mga gagamit ng barko para makauwi sa mga mahal sa buhay nating ngayong Kapaskuhan,” Balilo said.

(We call on the people to continue monitoring news and updates on the typhoon, especially those who will board ships to return home to their loved ones this Christmas.)

Meanwhile, some 49 arrival flights and 50 departure flights scheduled on Thursday were cancelled.

Several passengers expressed dismay on the cancellation of flights due to the inclement weather.

“Uuwi sana ako kasi namatay yung mama ko kahapon, na-cancel ko na lang din kasi kung 22 pa ako aalis wala na baka hindi rin ako makauwi,” Guia, a passenger of the cancelled flight, said.

(I was supposed to go home to the province because my mother died yesterday, I just canceled my flight because if I leave on December 22, I might not be able to go home either.)

“Medyo nakakadisappoint lalo na may hotel kaming nabayaran at saka yung iba pang mga gastos tapos biglang cancellation for the reason of typhoon,” another passenger said.

(It is a bit disappointing especially since we paid for a hotel and for the other expenses and suddenly it was cancelled due to the typhoon.)

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 was raised over eight areas in Visayas and Mindanao as Typhoon Odette maintained its strength and made its third landfall in Southern Leyte.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News