Some tourists stranded in Batanes due to Betty — official

Some tourists are stranded in Batanes as Typhoon Betty brought strong waves and winds in the province, a public information officer said on Monday.

“Meron pong mangingilan-ngilan na naiwang turista (There are few tourists who were stranded),” Batanes Emergency Operation Center’s Justinne Jerico Socito told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita.

“Sila po ang nagdesisyon na okay lang po sa kanilang maiwan dahil sabi nila ay worth it naman daw po (They decided that it’s okay for them to stay here because they said it’s worth it),” he added.

Socito said all tourists are well accounted for and the provincial government is ensuring that they will receive necessary assistance.

According to him, Batanes is now experiencing strong winds and waves as well as cloudy skies.

A no sailing policy has been imposed in the Batanes as some parts of the province were experiencing five to seven meters of waves.

Only one person in Basco has been evacuated because he was living alone in a house made of light materials, Socito said.

Around 22 evacuation centers are ready to accommodate evacuees.

A total of 6,850 family food packs are already prepositioned. Another 6,000 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are expected to arrive.

Over 20 heavy equipment are on stand-by for the rescue of possible victims of the typhoon.

Three areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 as Typhoon Betty slightly accelerated early Monday morning over the waters east of Cagayan, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No. 2:

• Batanes
• the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Camiguin Is., Didicas Is., Pamuktan Is.), and
• the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana)

These areas, PAGASA said, are expected to experience gale-force winds in the next 24 hours that pose "minor to moderate threat to life and property."

Meanwhile, under TCWS No. 1 are:

• The rest of Babuyan Islands,
• the rest of mainland Cagayan,
• Isabela, Quirino,
• the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Solano, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde, Bayombong, Ambaguio),
• Apayao,
• Abra,
• Kalinga,
• Mountain Province,
• Ifugao,
• Ilocos Norte,
• the northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler),
• Polillo Islands,
• the northern portion of Catanduanes (Caramoran, Viga, Gigmoto, Panganiban, Bagamanoc, Pandan),
• the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Tinambac, Siruma), and
• the northern portion of Camarines Norte (Vinzons, Paracale, Jose Panganiban, Capalonga, Talisay, Daet, Mercedes, Basud)

As of 4 a.m., the center of Betty's eye was estimated at 525 km east of Aparri, Cagayan packing maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h, gustiness of up to 190 km/h, and central pressure of 950 hPa. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News