Boat trips, flights in Caraga cancelled due to Typhoon Yolanda

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 7 (PIA) - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Surigao del Norte has ordered the cancellation of the departures of inter-island vessels to Siargao Island, Dinagat Islands and other parts of Visayas due to Typhoon Yolanda. The PCG has called off the departures of all vessels plying these areas due to PAGASA’s Public Storm Signal warning that the entire province will experience heavy rains and huge waves because of Typhoon Yolanda. Cokaliong Shipping Lines has announced in their facebook account the cancellation of all their boat trips due to Typhoon Yolanda. “All trips tonight, Nov 7, 2013, Thursday, will be cancelled due to the approaching typhoon. Please be guided accordingly. For refund or rebooking pls visit any of our offices. We will soon announce when the schedule of our next available trip,” it said. Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific has also cancelled its flights 5J 767/ 768 Manila-Surigao-Manila and 5J 223/ 224 Cebu-Butuan-Cebu today because of the typhoon. In its 11 a.m. bulletin, Thursday, PAGASA said typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has gained strength while moving closer to the country and that as of 10 a.m., the eye of the typhoon was spotted 637 kilometers (km) east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. The state weather bureau said it is expected to make landfall over Guiuan, Eastern Samar around 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday. Yolanda has a maximum sustained winds of about 215 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 30 kph. (FEA/PIA-Caraga)