Over 4,300 passengers and truck drivers were stranded at 21 ports in Bicol, Southern Tagalog, Eastern Visayas, and Northeastern Luzon on Saturday after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended sea trips due to Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen).
Based on its 12 noon to 4 p.m. monitoring, the PCG said 4,388 passengers, drivers, and helpers, along with 1,207 rolling cargoes and five vessels, and one motorbanca were stranded.
Meanwhile, 26 vessels and 10 motorbancas took shelter across ports.
According to the maritime safety advisory, Bicol recorded the highest number of stranded individuals at 2,326.
The advisory also reported 1,022 rolling cargoes and five vessels and one motorbanca are stuck at the ports of Tobaco, Pioduran, Pasacao, Virac, Cataingan, Aroroy, Mobo, San Pascual, Claveria, Cawayan, Castilla, Matnog, Pilar, and Bacacay. Twenty-two vessels and two motorbancas were also taking shelter in the region.
In Southern Tagalog, 107 passengers and 20 rolling cargoes were stranded at the ports of Real, Atimonan, and Alabat.
The PCG also reported 655 stranded passengers and 165 rolling cargoes at Sta. Clara, Dapdap, and Looc ports in Eastern Visayas. Three vessels were taking shelter in the area.
In Northeastern Luzon, one vessel and seven motorbancas were forced to take shelter at San Vicente Port and Linao Wharf.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in its 11 a.m. advisory that Tropical Storm Ramil is forecast to track west-northwest or northwest after a short west-southwest movement.
The storm was last located over the coastal waters of Palapag, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph. It was moving west-southwest at 20 kph