SEA TRAVEL BAN. A seaport in Allen town in Northern Samar. The Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday (Nov. 10, 2020) suspended all sea travels in Northern Samar as tropical cyclone warning signal no. 1 was raised over the province and other parts of the Samar island due to Typhoon Ulysses (international name Vamco). (Photo courtesy of Northern Samar Our Home)
TACLOBAN CITY – All sea travels in Northern Samar were suspended on Tuesday as the state weather bureau raised tropical cyclone warning signal no. 1 over the province and other parts of the Samar Island due to Typhoon Ulysses (international name Vamco).
In an advisory, Lt. Paterno Belarmino, Philippine Coast Guard Northern Samar head, said the travel ban for all types of vessels and watercrafts will be lifted until weather and sea condition improve to avoid possible maritime accidents.
The province's major ports are located in Allen town, with roll-on roll-off (RoRo) ferries that cross the San Bernardino Strait, carrying passengers and vehicles to Matnog port in Sorsogon.
"Vessels who intend to take shelter will be permitted to travel as long as it is manifested through a written request and no passengers will be allowed on board," Belarmino said in the advisory.
Other areas in the region under signal no. 1 are the towns of Sto. Niño, Almagro, Tagapul-an. Tarangnan, Calbayog City, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, and Matuguinao in Samar, and Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, and Jipapad in Eastern Samar.
As of 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Ulysses was located 475 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph., according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Association (PAGASA).
PAGASA advised the public to inspect and repair houses, if needed, clean up drainage system, harvest crops that can be yielded, and monitor its severe bulletin updates.
The storm was moving northwestward at 15 kph, it said.
Lord Byron Torrecarion, head of the Office of the Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas, has asked all local government units in affected areas to be alert and vigilant.
"We have an ongoing pre-disaster risk assessment relevant to the possible effects of the tropical depression in the region, as we closely monitor updates and incidents related to this weather system," Torrecarion said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as the food and non-food items cluster head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has readied its stockpiles in strategic areas in the region.
Joshua Kempis, DSWD regional disaster response management division information officer, said 12,928 family food packs are prepositioned in its main warehouse here, 6,900 in Northern Samar, 300 in Eastern Samar, and 100 in Samar.
"Each food pack contains six kilos of rice, five sachets each of coffee and cereal drink, and assorted canned goods. These are ready for distribution upon the request of local government units in affected areas," he added.
The region has also prepositioned 3,575 tube skirts (malong), 409 blankets, 195 mosquito nets, 99 kitchen sets, 95 family kits, and 49 hygiene kits. (PNA)
