EIGHTEEN fishermen were reported missing yesterday and thousands were stranded due to severe tropical storm “Jolina” which made its first of several landfalls in Eastern Samar on Monday night, the Philippine Coast Guard said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported displaced families in Negros Occidental, damaged structures in Negros Occidental, and power interruptions in portions of Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Leyte and Samar.
Jolina weakened yesterday from a typhoon but several areas remained under storm signal warnings, including Metro Manila which was under signal No. 1.
Jolina is expected to exit by Thursday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in a bulletin, said that as of 4 p.m. yesterday, Jolina was some 60 km west northwest of Masbate City or 90 km east of Romblon, Romblon. Jolina was moving west northwest at 15 kph, packed with maximum sustained winds of 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Armand Balilo, citing initial information, said the missing fishermen went out to sea despite warnings.
Fourteen of them fishermen went missing in Catbalogan City in Samar, including 12 near the Sierra Island, and the remaining four in Motiong town, also in Samar.
“Based on the report, they went missing last night but we could not immediately say when they left. They know a typhoon is approaching (but they still went fishing),” Balilo said.
Balilo said the PCG is conducting search and rescue operation operations for the missing fishermen in coordination with local government units.
The PCG also said nearly 2,000 people were stranded in various ports in Eastern Visayas and Bicol regions as sea travel was suspended due to the weather disturbance as of yesterday noon.
The PCG said 1,441 passengers, drivers, and helpers were stranded in Eastern Visayas. The vessels and 515 rolling cargoes were also stranded in the region.
In the Bicol region, the PCG said 505 passengers, drivers and helpers and 14 vessels and 167 rolling cargoes were also stranded.
Initial reports from the NDRRMC said in Negros Occidental, eight families were displaced by Jolina and eight houses and a government infrastructure were damaged.
The agency also reported power interruptions in portions of Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, Leyte and Samar.
The NDRRMC has yet to report any casualty, including missing, from the calamity.
PAGASA said Jolina further weakened as it moved to the Sibuyan Sea.
It made landfalls on Monday in Hernani in Eastern Samar and thrice yesterday in Daram, Santo Niño, and Almagro towns in Samar.
Signal No. 2 was up parts of Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Sorsogon, Albay, Masbate, and Camarines Norte.
Signal No. 1 was raised in parts of Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Metro Manila, Rizal, Quezon, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Aklan, Iloilo, and Antique
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it has readied P1.29 billion worth of relief goods and standby funds for those affected by Jolina. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
