PPA suspends port ops after tsunami alert

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) suspended port operations in high-risk coastal areas following a tsunami advisory issued after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake off Kamchatka, Russia.

PPA General Manager Jay Santiago instructed all PPA Port Management Offices to halt passenger embarkation and disembarkation as well as cargo handling starting noon on Wednesday until further notice from Phivolcs.

The suspension applies to coastal provinces in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, with classes suspended in some areas of Davao due to the alert.

Vessels are advised to move to deeper waters if necessary, while coastal areas have been warned to avoid beaches during the threat period until Phivolcs lifts the advisory.

Emergency response teams are on standby, and the Philippine Coast Guard has issued a Notice to Mariners advising precautionary measures against tsunami waves expected to be less than one meter high.

The first waves may arrive between 1:20 p.m. and 2:40 p.m., with continued activity for several hours according to Phivolcs’s advisory, which will remain in effect until additional monitoring confirms safety.