Coast Guard: ‘Pepeng’ leaves 139 passengers stranded in Albay

About 139 passengers were left stranded in the capital city of Albay province on Thursday morning due to the rains triggered by the onset of typhoon “Pepeng," which state weather forecasters said earlier was brewing into a super typhoon. The Philippine Coast Guard’s 8 a.m. situation report said that people were stranded in various ports and transportation terminals in three barangays (villages) in Legazpi City. Earlier, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted Storm Signal No. 1 over the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes – Albay’s neighboring provinces in the Bicol region. As of 4 a.m., Pepeng was 650 km east of Borongan town in Eastern Samar province in the Visayas. The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 24 kph. By Friday morning it is expected to be 310 km east of Virac in Catanduanes. By Saturday morning it is expected to be 190 km north of Virac or 310 km southeast of Tuguegarao City. Pagasa forecaster Mario Palafox also said Pepeng is developing into a super typhoon. "Malapit sa 180 kph ang minimum na lakas ng hangin ng isang super typhoon. Ang Pepeng ay nasa 150 kph na. So, 30 kph na lang, pwede na i-consider na super typhoon (Its winds are now 150 kph, near 180 kph, which is the minimum wind speed for it to be considered a super typhoon)," Palafox said. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV