18.5k displaced, 9,023 stranded as Basyang moves toward Palawan

At least 18,500 people were displaced and brought to evacuation centers while 9,023 others were stranded due to bad weather brought by Tropical Storm Basyang (Kajiki), which moved toward Palawan Saturday morning.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its 8 a.m. update that 3,698 families or 18,518 people had been displaced due to Basyang.

It said these are being served in 74 evacuation centers in Central and Eastern Visayas and in Caraga.

Some 500 families in Barangay Pasil in Cebu City and 50 families along the shorelines of Calajoan and Tulay in Minglanilla in Cebu had been preemptively evacuated.

Also, the NDRRMC said it remains on blue alert, even as some P104.30 million in emergency relief resources had been prepositioned.

Stranded

The Philippine Coast Guard said that as of 6 a.m. Saturday, 9,023 were stranded in ports in Metro Manila, Bicol, and Western, Central and Eastern Visayas, and in Northern Mindanao.

It said these included:

Metro Manila: 3,075

Basyang moving toward north Palawan

PAGASA's 7 a.m. bulletin said Basyang was over the Sulu sea and is moving towards Northern Palawan.

As of 6 a.m., it said Basyang was estimated at 82 km west of Iloilo City or 353 km northeast of Puerto Princesa City, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

It was forecast to move west at 39 kph and is expected to be 574 km northwest of Puerto Princesa City or outside the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday morning.

Canceled flights

The Department of Transportation and Communications reported more canceled domestic flights by various air carriers, including:


— LBG, GMA News