PCG halts small boat trips in Eastern Visayas due to Inday

TACLOBAN CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has suspended the operations of small vessels in parts of Eastern Visayas and canceled several inter-island ferry trips due to strong to gale-force winds generated by Typhoon Inday.

The suspensions were imposed following the issuance of Gale Warnings by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), which warned of hazardous seas due to the typhoon and the enhanced southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’.

READ: Signal No. 2 up in Batanes as Inday moves over PH Sea

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Under the directive, all motorboats and vessels weighing 15 gross tons (GT) and below are temporarily prohibited from sailing.

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The Coast Guard said the preventive measure is in line with Memorandum Circular No. 03-01, which prescribes the suspension of small craft operations during adverse weather to prevent maritime accidents and protect the safety of passengers and crew.

In Southern Leyte, rough seas also forced the cancellation of several passenger and cargo vessel trips linking Eastern Visayas to Surigao and Cebu.

Among the canceled trips were FastCat M17 operating the Maasin City–Surigao City route; M/V OceanJet 88 serving the Cebu City–Maasin City–Surigao City route; and the roll-on/roll-off vessels LCT Star Asia and LCT GT Express 1, both plying the St. Bernard, Southern Leyte–Lipata, Surigao City route.

The Coast Guard advised passengers to postpone non-essential travel and monitor updates from Pagasa, the PCG, and their respective shipping companies before proceeding to ports.

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READ: Inday weakens into typhoon; rains to drench parts of PH – Pagasa

It also urged vessel owners and motorboat operators to remain vigilant, secure their watercraft, and continuously monitor weather bulletins while the typhoon remains within or near the country’s area of responsibility.

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Pagasa has warned that the combined effects of Typhoon Inday and the enhanced southwest monsoon are generating strong to gale-force winds and rough to very rough seas over parts of Eastern Visayas, making sea travel particularly hazardous for small vessels.

The Coast Guard said the suspension of voyages will remain in effect until weather and sea conditions improve and authorities declare it safe for vessels to resume operations./coa

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