PHL Coast Guard: 67 people stranded in Cebu due to cyclone Egay

At least 67 people in Cebu province have been stranded due to rains and winds brought by tropical depression “Egay," the Philippine Coast Guard said Saturday. In an interview on dzBB, PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said “Our latest reports showed there are 67 people stranded in Cebu. In Catbalogan, at least four trips had been canceled, but the passengers are mostly local residents and they just went home." In Bicol Region, he said at least 11 trucks had been stranded, although there was no report of passengers aboard seagoing vessels being stranded. But he said the Coast Guard is monitoring for reports of stranded passengers as Egay continues to threaten the Bicol and Visayas areas. He also appealed to fishermen in areas affected by Egay not to venture out to sea. Under Storm Signal No. 1 as of Saturday morning were Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur in Bicol; and the Samar provinces in Eastern Visayas. “We may have to expect reports of people being stranded in ports as Egay nears land," Ricafrente said. Meanwhile, Ricafrente reminded shipowners that vessels weighing 1,000 tons or less cannot leave port in areas under Signal 1. — LBG, GMA News