Severe Storm Damages Ships and Strands Passengers/Cargo in Philippines

 

The Philippine Coast Guard is responding to multiple incidents as a severe storm moved through some of the most populated areas of the country on Thursday. Several vessels were reported to be in distress while the Coast Guard was also assisting with evacuations on land and rescues as parts of Luzon flooded.

The storm being called Kristine in the Philippines came ashore on the northeast coast of Luzon, the country's most populated island, and was moving across into the South China Sea. While it was below typhoon status, it had reported sustained winds of approximately 60 mph and gusts over 70 mph. It dumped a month’s worth of rain and was likely to become a typhoon as it moved back out to sea.

Early reports said more than 20 people have been killed with 150,000 or more forced to evacuate. The Coast Guard reports the storm is impacting 136 ports standing as many as 10,000 people and more than 2,800 cargoes. Approximately 150 vessels were reported stranded while an additional 315 were taking shelter from the storm.

 

 

In the early morning hours, the Coast Guard received a report that a ferry, Super Shuttle RoRo 2, was being dragged by the severe weather conditions at Batangas Port. The vessel has been laid up for the past year but had three crewmembers aboard. They were reporting it was a “dead ship,” drifting uncontrollably after losing its anchors in the storm.

The Coast Guard working with the vessel’s owners dispatched a tug. Towing operations however were aborted due to the worsening sea and weather conditions. The vessel became wedged up against one of the berths and they had been able to secure it until the storm passed.

 

Loaded container carrier was driven aground during the storm (PCG)

 

At around the same time, a container transport, LCT ASC Big Boy, loaded with 154 containers as well as seven rolling cargoes and a pre-loaded truck reported its anchor chains had broken in the storm. The vessel had 17 crewmembers aboard. 

The storm winds and waves drove the vessel ashore about 160 feet from Barangay Sugod. The Coast Guard inspected the ship and reported its engine remained operational but efforts to remove it from the sand were hampered by the weather conditions. 

Later in the day, the vessel reported that its port fuel tank had been punctured and they were attempting to transfer 4,000 liters of fuel to another tank. There however was some oil spilled. The worsening weather conditions were blamed for the vessel’s center rudder malfunctioning.

 

Coast Guard is assisting with the evacuation and rescues (PCG)

 

To the south near Cebu, another cargo vessel also grounded late on Wednesday. Strong winds and rough seas were being blamed for breaking the anchor chains of LCT Golden Bella that drifted ashore in the storm.

The Coast Guard remains on alert but as the storm has moved away reported the number of people stranded had gone down. However, the rescue operations were continuing as widespread flooding and mudslides were being reported in parts of the Philippines.