LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (PIA) –  As Typhoon "Karding" weakened and all Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals were lifted in Bicol, sea travel in various ports in the region resumed on Monday, September 26.

Gremil Alexis Naz, Office of Civil Defense spokesperson for Bicol, said trips in Matnog Port and other seaports in the region have resumed since early Monday morning.

“Sa Matnog port, kanina pong early morning diretso na po ang biyahe ng RoRo at ang mga stranded po natin ay naka queue na papuntang Visayas,” Naz said in an interview.  (Sea travels in Matnog Port resumed early this morning and all stranded passengers were already on queue for travel to Visayas.)

On Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that the suspension of trips stranded 2,049 passengers in eight seaports in the region.  These included a total of 137 passengers in Albay province; 97 in Camarines Norte; 47 in Camarines Sur; 20 in Catanduanes; 22 in Masbate; and 1,726 in Sorsogon.

Seventeen 17 rolling cargoes, 13 sea vessels, and four motorized banca were also marooned in ports.

Naz also reported that as of 11 a.m. on Monday, a total of 111 stranded tourists in Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte were able to return safely to the mainland of the province. (PIA5)