All sea trips in Bohol have been suspended as Tropical Storm Ursula continued to barrel towards the Visayas with 17 towns of the province already under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1.
A statement issued by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Western Bohol acting commander Lt. Junior Grade Mark Tolentino to mariners on Monday afternoon indicated that all sea trips under its area of responsibility were cancelled as a “proactive measure.”
“Voyage will resume upon improvement of weather and sea condition,” Tolentino said.
PCG Eastern Bohol commander Lt. Patrick Cabasag also confirmed that all vessels in the province’s eastern coast have been grounded except for the Lite Ferry at the Jagna Port where the shipping firm services the Jagna-Cagayan de Oro route.
According to Cabasag, the vessel remained cleared for passenger voyage as of Monday noon but would likely be cancelled later in the day as the storm nears.
“Kung mo issue napud og forecast ang PAGASA basin ma-apil naning Cagayan de Oro pati ang Jagna,” he said.
Although only 17 towns of Bohol have been placed under a storm signal so far, trips in Tagbilaran City were cancelled as northern and central Cebu including Cebu City, where most vessels from Bohol are supposedly headed, were placed under TCWS 1.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA listed the following areas as under TCWS 1:
Sorsogon and Masbate including Ticao Island, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod, Borbon, Tabuelan, Tabogon, San Remigio, Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Bantayan Islands, Camotes Islands), Central Cebu (Balamban, Talisay, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao), and northeastern Bohol (Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Buenavista, Jetafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Ubay, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia), Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao Islands.
According to PAGASA, Ursula was last spotted 790 kilometers northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of 10 a.m.
It was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kph.
The weather disturbance is expected to “gradually intensify” into at most a severe tropical storm prior to landfall over Eastern Visayas on Tuesday afternoon or evening.