Over 17,900 Cagayan residents evacuate due to Typhoon Marce
PAMPANGA, Philippines – Almost 18,000 residents from the coastal areas in Cagayan province have been evacuated to temporary shelters due to the onslaught of Typhoon Marce, its local officials reported on Thursday, November 7.
According to the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), a total of 17,958 individuals from 6,439 families across 204 barangays in 23 municipalities were displaced due to strong winds and heavy rain. They sought refuge in various evacuation centers in their respective localities.
PDRRMO chief Ruelie Rapsing said that the wind speed has reached over 180 kilometers per hour accompanied by heavy to intense rainfall.
Rapsing said no casualty has been reported so far. The province is currently facing three secondary hazards: flooding, rain-induced landslides, and storm surges.
“No damage estimate, nor reports of casualty yet. [However,] we’re facing three secondary hazards that come with Typhoon Marce: flood, rain-induced landslide, and storm surge,” Rapsing told Rappler on Thursday.
“The Cagayan River has started to swell, it is now at 5 meters at the Buntun water gauge,” he added.
In a Facebook livestream by the Cagayan Provincial Information Office, an emergency rescue operation was seen taking place in Barangay Tapel, Gonzaga town, where some residents who had refused preemptive evacuation were being rescued.
“Malakas pa rin itong nararanasan natin pag ulan sa may Barangay Tapel, Gonzaga. Marami pang mga bata dito ang kailangan ilikas doon sa may evacuation center. Yung ating mga awtoridad, yung ating mga rescuers kasi may tumatawag ng resue dito,” the CPIO representative reported.
(We are still experiencing heavy rains here in Barangay Tapel, Gonzaga. A lot of children here need to be evacuated to an evacuation center by our authorities, our rescuers, because someone called for a rescue here.)
Flights and sea travel from the Catualayan Sea Port and Calayan Community Airport remain suspended. Authorities are urging residents to remain in safe areas while monitoring the situation closely. –Rappler.com