The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday morning suspended sea travel in Bohol after state weather bureau PAGASA placed the province under storm Signal Number 1, said a PCG official.
According to Seaman 2nd Class John Sinajon of PCG-Bohol, 1,306 passengers were stranded in the province’s ports due to the cancellation of sea voyage.
A total of 18 cargo ships, nine commercial vessels including fast crafts and 21 passenger motorized bancas were grounded by the PCG due to nearing Tropical Depression “Samuel,” Sinajon said.
In its bulletin issued at 11 a.m., PAGASA said that the center of Samuel was estimated based on all available data to be located at 605 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.
It was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph.
The weather disturbance’s latest forecast track also indicated the possibility of Samuel hitting Bohol between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Desiderio Deligero of the Department of Education in Bohol, said that preschool and kindergarten classes were suspend in both public and private schools as of Monday noon.
Classes in the elementary and secondary levels continued. (A. Doydora)