Manila: A total of 5,929 passengers, truck drivers, and cargo helpers have been stranded across various ports in areas expected to be affected by Severe Tropical Storm Opong, internationally known as Bualoi, as reported by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

According to Philippines News Agency, as of 4 p.m., the PCG announced that 101 seaports have suspended sea travel. This disruption has impacted 2,340 rolling cargoes, 81 vessels, and 31 motorbancas, particularly in the regions of Eastern Visayas, Southern Tagalog, Northeastern Mindanao, Central Visayas, and the Bicol Region.

The PCG has reported that 355 vessels and 226 motorbancas have taken shelter due to the approaching storm. Opong, which is forecasted by the weather bureau to reach typhoon category, is expected to make landfall over Northern Samar early Friday morning.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) stated that, as of 8 p.m., Opong continues its approach toward Eastern Visayas. The storm is currently situated 150 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness reaching up to 135 kilometers per hour.

PAGASA forecasts that throughout Friday, Opong will follow a west-northwestward path near or over the Sibuyan Sea, traversing the mainland and/or island provinces of the Bicol Region, southern Calabarzon, and northern Mimaropa. The storm is expected to emerge over the West Philippine Sea by early Saturday morning.

In anticipation of the storm's impact, the PCG Eastern Visayas District placed all its stations and sub-stations on heightened alert status on Wednesday, responding to the ongoing threat posed by Opong in the region.