Even as ‘Onyok’ weakens: Expect rains, turbulent seas

CEBU, Philippines – Authorities have warned against sea travel as the presence of Onyok is expected to generate big waves.

Expected to move West at 18 kilometers per hour, Onyok made landfall in the Surigao area at 9:30 last night.

“Sea travel is still risky,” said Oscar Tabada, Visayas chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophy-sical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

He told TV Patrol Central Visayas yesterday that Onyok is expected to weaken further as it makes landfall but it would reportedly continue to pour rain.

Continuous rainfall is also risky, he said, as it can soften the soil and trigger landslides.

Onyok has weakened into a Low Pressure Area as it moved 50- kilometer Southwest of Zamboanga City yesterday afternoon.

The waves are caused by the surge of the northeast monsoon.

Strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the northern, eastern and western seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Visayas. Gale warning is up over these seaboards with estimated wave heights of 1.25-4 meters in open sea.

Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against huge waves.

This gale warning was the basis for the Philippine Coast Guard to cancel trips of vessels with below 250 gross tonnage or those vessels going to and from areas where typhoon warning signal is hoisted.

Several vessels were grounded since Thursday due to rough seas, which resulted to around 500 stranded passengers in different ports of Cebu.

The Philippine Coast Guard stopped ships six vessels and one motor banca — MV Filipinas Dumaguete, MV Filipinas Iligan, MV Filipinas Butuan, MV Weesam Express, MV Trans Asia 10, MV Trans Asia 8 and MBCA Christopher — from venturing out into the sea.

The Coast Guard will only allow vessels to travel when the gale warnings in their respective areas are lifted.

Many of the passengers had a hard time finding alternative trip schedules.

Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc., for example, refunded tickets but did not issue rescheduled trips. According to the management, all trip schedules are withheld until January 2 due to bad weather and very high demand for sea transportation.

Preparations

The disaster teams of both the city and provincial governments have been activated.

In Cebu City, barangay disaster brigades have been activated to respond to emergencies in coordination with the city’s Command Control Center. The center operates 24 hours to receive emergency calls and/or alarms and forward the same to the appropriate offices.

“We have been continuously monitoring the weather condition and activated barangay disaster brigades to be watchful… especially on barangays that are prone to flood and landslide and areas near the riverbanks,” said Councilor David Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

As of 7 p.m. last night, CCDRMC reported a tree falling on the main electricity line of Barangay Quiot, which caused power interruption in Sitio Edyang. Tumulak said the rain yesterday may have softened the soil, which made the tree fall.

He said barangay officials have been directed to inform the disaster unit about water rising immediately so that preemptive measures can be put in place.

He said they have asked City Hall’s Local School Board to allow pupils in mountain barangays to go home early.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is monitoring at least five towns owing to the presence of sinkholes there.

These include Badian, Alcantara, Moalboal, Dumanjug and Barili.

PDRRMO chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said the sinkholes discovered in these towns may widen due to the rains brought about by the weather disturbance, which loosens the soil, thus, posing danger to the nearby houses.

The disaster office is also keeping eye on landslide prone areas especially in southern Cebu. — /JMO Kristine B. Quintas, May B. Miasco, Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Saison O. Dampios Jr. USJ-R Intern Staff Members