'Auring' threatens eastern Visayas

Tropical depression “Auring” changed course yesterday and veered north after leaving more than 12,000 passengers stranded in Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao, officials said.

Prisco Nilo, director of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said Auring is unlikely to intensify further, but it will continue to dump rains over some parts of the country particularly Bicol and Eastern Visayas until today.

As of 4:30 p.m. yesterday, storm signal no. 1 was hoisted over Eastern Samar.

Auring, the first tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, was located some 80 kilometers southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center at 4 p.m. yesterday.

Auring was forecast to move north slowly at seven kph.

Nilo said Auring is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country and is forecast to dissipate in the next days.

Pagasa also raised storm signal no. 1 over Northern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran Island, Camotes Island, Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island and Dinagat Island at 10 a.m. yesterday but lifted it in the afternoon after Auring shifted course from northwest to north.

Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said a total of 12,211 passengers were stranded in Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao due to bad weather.

As of yesterday noon, he said the number of people stranded reached 209 in Cebu; 6,007 in Catbalogan, Samar; 677 in Ormoc City, Leyte; 213 in Maasin, Southern Leyte; 50 in Bacolod City; 1,500 in Caticlan; 1,181 in Tabaco City, Albay; 3,412 in Matnog, Sorsogon; 30 in Virac, Catanduanes; and 62 in Pasacao, Camarines Sur.

He said Auring also left 14 trucks, 44 light cars, 75 passenger buses, 27 vessels and 295 rolling cargoes stranded.

Earlier in the day, the PCG banned sea travel in areas under storm signal no. 1.

Tamayo said the local coast guard units have looked into the safety of stranded passengers by involving shipping company blue guards.

He said stranded persons were provided with food, restrooms, and accommodation in ports.

Auring is predicted to be at 150 kms northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar or 200 kms east-southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar this afternoon; 300 kms northeast of Catarman tomorrow afternoon; and 420 kms east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes by Wednesday afternoon.

Nilo said rains would still prevail over Southern Luzon due to the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan.

Metro Manila, on the other hand, would experience passing light rains.

Visayas and Mindanao would have isolated rainshowers.

Pagasa warned residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes against possible flashfloods and landslides. – With Celso Amo, Cet Dematera