'Santi' strands over 1K boat passengers in south Luzon, Manila

Typhoon Santi (international name: Mirinae) has stranded at least 1,392 boat passengers even as the Philippine Coast Guard canceled trips in ports in Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila. Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said he expects the number of stranded passengers to go up as Santi nears Central and Southern Luzon. [See: Typhoon Santi heads for Central Luzon] "Ang stranded sa Batangas more than 700 na, ito [ay] patuloy na tumataas (In Batangas alone we have had 700 stranded and the number may still go up)," Tamayo said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said that in Lucena, 480 were stranded, while more were stranded in Puerto Real in Quezon and in Manila, he added. In its 6 a.m. report, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said the Bicol Coast Guard had reported 364 passengers, 19 trucks, 11 cars and five vessels were stranded. "Lucena City to Marinduque trips in Region IV-B (Southern Luzon) were canceled due to Public Storm Warning Signal No. 2 raised in Quezon Province," it added. NDCC said the passengers stranded included those at the ports of Tabaco in Albay and Lucena, and Puerto Real in Quezon. In an earlier interview, Tamayo said sea travel from Batangas and Manila were canceled due to the threat posed by Santi, the fourth weather disturbance to hit the country since late September. "Sa guidelines na pinatupad ng Coast Guard, sa Storm Signal No. 2 na nakataas, wala tayong papayagang maglayag na barko, lalo na maliit na bangka. Ang galing sa Manila at ibang lugar bawal dumaan sa area na may Storm Signal No. 2 (Under our guidelines, ships cannot leave port under Storm Signal No. 2, especially small craft. So vessels cannot proceed if their trip will take them through Manila and other areas under Signal No. 2)," Tamayo said. When asked about the possibility of the ban on sea travel extending up to November 2, he said it will depend on the weather. - GMANews.TV