TS 'Marce' strands passengers in Leyte, triggers landslides

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 25 (PNA) -- At least 1,067 passengers have been stranded in different seaports in Leyte Island Friday morning as state weather bureau has raised storm signal number 1 over Eastern Visayas provinces due to tropical storm Marce.

Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Posadas said travellers have been affected by trip cancellation in the ports of San Ricardo and Liloan, Southern Leyte; Ormoc City, Bato, and Palompon in Leyte province.

These ports are the region’s exit point to Cebu and Mindanao.

Authorities prevented seven sea vessels from leaving the ports, which also stranded 169 rolling cargoes, according to Posadas.

Aside from stranding, the OCD also reported closures of national roads until early Friday due to mudslides in Olisihan village in Sogod, Southern Leyte and Villa village in Baybay City in Leyte. 

Both sections are within major highways that link the southern part of Leyte Island to the regional capital.

The Olisihan section was cleared around 5 a.m. while half of the road portion in Villa village was already passable by 8 a.m.

“The wind is not that destructive, but storm Marce dumped heavy rains in many areas in the region, which triggered landslides,” Posadas said.

The official presumed that the storm’s impact is manageable in the local government level since no single province, city, or town has asked for assistance from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Since Thursday, classes have been suspended by the local governments in Leyte province, Tacloban City, and five towns in Biliran, according to OCD reports. (PNA)
PGL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO