Hundreds of travelers in Negros and Panay were left stranded yesterday after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared the province of Negros Occidental under a Storm Signal No.1 due to Tropical Depression Agaton.

Based on a PAGASA weather bulletin, issued at 10:00 a.m. yesterday, Agaton was last spotted near Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, carrying maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph).

The storm also generated gusts up to 90 kph and was forecasted to move west towards Palawan at 28 kph.

Following the PAGASA advisory, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Bacolod station commander, Lieutenant Senior Grade Jimmy Oliver Vingno, immediately halted all vessels in Negros Occidental from leaving port.

Around 200 passengers, most of them returning home after holiday celebrations, were left stranded at the Bredco port.

By 2:00 p.m. yesterday, PCG allowed trips to resume after PAGASA lifted the tropical storm warning in Negros Occidental.

Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Zeaphard Caelian, meanwhile, reported flooding in San Carlos City and Cauayan following heavy rains.

A motorcycle driver also reportedly fell into the Himogaan River in Sagay City and is currently still missing.

The rain also caused a landslide along the Lantawan-Patag road in Silay City.

The PDRRMO also reported their rain measuring gauge in Escalante City recording 91mm of rainfall yesterday.

Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) was also put on alert yesterday, with residents living near flood-prone areas advised to prepare for evacuation if flood waters continue to rise.

Several lamp and utility posts in the city were also brought down and two trees in Barangay Alijis and Taculing were also uprooted due to the winds generated by the storm./DGB, WDJ