'Feria' strands thousands of Bacolod, Guimaras-bound passengers
Tropical Storm “Feria” hit the Visayas yesterday placing Iloilo in two public storm signals – Storm Signal 1 in Southern Iloilo and Iloilo City and Storm Signal 2 in Northern Iloilo.
As such, schools were canceled anew yesterday with Education Department officials here making last-minute announcements over the radio.
The morning saw no rains though in Iloilo City yet strong winds and occasional rains marked the rest of the day particularly in the province.
By midday, Storm Signal 2 was lifted yet with Storm Signal 1 in effect, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) blocked all inter-island travel to and from Iloilo. No fastcrafts to and from Bacolod and pumpboats to and from Guimaras were allowed since Tuesday afternoon.
Capt. Eduardo Fabricante of the Philippine Coast Guard Station-Iloilo told The News Today yesterday they banned all vessels with gross tonnage of 1,000 or less from leaving port since Tuesday afternoon, shortly after they received a weather bulletin placing Iloilo under storm signal no. 1.
Also affected by the ban were fast crafts servicing the Iloilo-Bacolod route.
The result was hundreds of irate passengers in Iloilo and Guimaras ports particularly in Parola wharf for the Buenavista-bound Guimaras passengers and Ortiz wharf for the Jordan-bound ones.
Same scenario for the Bacolod-bound passengers who flocked the port at Muelle Loney, encouraged by the dry Wednesday morning.
The PCG though maintained that with Storm Signal 1 in full effect all over Iloilo, Aklan, Antique and Capiz, no clearance was given.
Storm tracking by the weather bureau placed Tropical Storm “Feria” closer to Batangas – Mindoro area while maintaining strength midday yesterday.
Warning was kept too addressed to residents in low-lying, mountainous and coastal areas as alert went out against possible flashloods, landslides and storm surges.
Similar warning went out to the public and concerned disaster coordinating councils “for appropriate actions.”
A “General Flood Advisory” (GFA) was further issued by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) for Western Visayas.
Forecast of moderate rains identified major rivers and streams in Panay as likely to be affected.
Of particular reference was made in rivers and streams particularly in Sibalom, Cagaranan, Palawan, Dalanas and Ipayo rivers in the Province of Antique.
Same watch in Ibajay, Aklan and Jalo rivers in Aklan, Panay, Mambusao and Panay Malinao rivers in Capiz.
In Iloilo, feared to have been affected by “Feria” rains were the Guimbal, Sibalom, Laro-Agaman, Lamunan, Jalaur, Jagdong, Jalano, Jalaud, Barotac and Pinantan rivers. (With a report from Ronilo L. Pamonag)