PCG: Nearly 8,000 people stranded in seaports due to Kristine

Almost 8,000 people were stranded in different seaports in the country on Thursday due to the threat of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

A total of 7,957 people, including passengers, truck drivers, and cargo helpers, were stranded in the following areas:

• Southern Tagalog
• Northwestern Luzon
• Bicol
• Northeastern Luzon
• Eastern Visayas
• Northeastern Mindanao
• Central Visayas
• Western Visayas
• National Capital Region-Central Luzon
• Southern Visayas

Most of the stranded individuals were reported in Bicol ports with 3,033, followed by Northeastern Mindanao ports with 1,554.

According to the PCG, Kristine affected the operations of 136 seaports in the country that also stranded 2,736 rolling cargoes, 147 vessels, and 65 motorbancas.

A total of 326 vessels and 313 motorbancas were taking shelter, the PCG said.

“In collaboration with the Philippine Ports Authority at iba pang mga concerned agencies, nabibigyan natin sila ng kaunting tulong sa pagkain para maka-sustain habang sila ay hindi pa makabiyahe,” PCG spokesperson Commodore Algier Ricafrente said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.

(In collaboration with the Philippine Ports Authority and other concerned agencies, we are able to give them a little help with food to sustain them while they are unable to travel.)

“Ganun din ang tulong natin with the local government (The same assistance is provided by the local government),” he added.

At 1 p.m., Kristine was located over the coastal waters of Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 145 km/h, moving west southwestward at 15 km/h, PAGASA said.

Kristine will then move westward or west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Friday afternoon, it added. — VBL, GMA Integrated News