The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Station Central Cebu has suspended sea trips to and from Cebu which is now under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 due to Severe Tropical Storm Odette.
In a notice to mariners on Wednesday, PCG-Cebu chief, Commander Alvin Dagalea, said the station “is now enforcing temporary suspension of voyage for all type of vessels/watercraft as proactive measures in order to avert maritime accidents…”.
Aside from Cebu, the suspension also covers parts of the Visayas and Mindanao that have now been placed under TCWS No. 1 due to the coming typhoon.
“Voyage of vessels will resume upon improvement of weather and sea condition in the above-mentioned areas,” Dagalea said.
In its advisory, the PCG-Region 7 (Central Visayas) said all vessels and watercraft will not be allowed to sail while a storm signal remains in effect as a precaution in case of strong waves and winds.
Smaller vessels such as fishing boats and motorboats are also “highly discouraged” from going out to sea, for now, PCG-7 said.
Sea vessel owners who want to take shelter are encouraged to send a written request to the Cebu Port Authority and will have to make sure that no passengers are on board while their vessels are docked.
PCG-7 urges shipping companies to prioritize the safety of their vessels amid the threat of “Odette”.
In an advisory, the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office said several tourist destinations in the Cebu province have temporarily closed starting Dec. 15 “until further notice” as the weather disturbance is expected to affect Cebu and Central Visayas in the coming days.
Source: Philippines New Agency
