“Neneng” made landfall in Cagayan province early morning yesterday, a couple of hours after intensifying into a severe tropical storm.
Neneng is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility by today but it will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains in Batanes, Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Norte, said the the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
Several areas in Cagayan were flooded, prompting the evacuation of about 3.000 individuals.
In a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said Batanes, the western portion of Babuyan Islands, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte were under Signal No. 2.
Five other areas were under Signal No. 1. These are the western portion of Cagayan, Apayao, northern portion of Abra, the rest of Ilocos Norte, and the northern portion of Ilocos Sur.
PAGASA said Neneng made landfall in Calayan Island at around 3:50 a.m., nearly two hours after it intensified into a severe tropical storm, from tropical storm. At around 11 a.m., Neneng intensified further into a typhoon.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Neneng was some 210 km west northwest of Calayan, Cagayan. It was moving west northwestward at 15 kph and packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
“On the forecast track, it may exit the Philippine area of responsibility this (Sunday) late afternoon or tonight,” said PAGASA, adding Neneng may further gain strength while moving in the West Philippine Sea area.
PAGASA said light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected in Babuyan Islands, rest of the Ilocos region, and Cordillera Administrative Region.
It said Neneng’s trough and the convergence of its circulation with southwesterly winds may also bring occasional rains in western portions of Visayas, Mimaropa and western portions of Mindanao.
FLOODS
Ruelie Rapsing, head of the Cagayan provincial disaster risk reduction and management council, said the province experienced heavy rains and strong winds due to Neneng since Saturday.
Rapsing said a thousand families or about 3,000 individuals from 30 barangays in the towns of Ballesteros, Lal-lo, Camalaniugan, Baggao, Santa Ana and Appari have been evacuated due to flooding.
He said based on information from the Office of Civil Defense, the residents were evacuated “because they were not safe.” They were brought to evacuation centers.
Rapsing also said electricity in the province was down as of 5 a.m. yesterday.
He said no landslide incident was reported.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba said flooding was reported in some towns including Buguey. Damage assessment is ongoing, he said.
“We conducted preemptive evacuation in certain areas,” said Mamba, adding some residents, specifically in Appari, were still appealing to be rescued as of yesterday morning due to flooding.
Mamba said the province has prepositioned relief goods days earlier, ready to be distributed in case people need it. “At this point, we have no problem about this,” said Mamba.
No casualty has been reported in the province as of of yesterday morning.
Michael Conag, information officer of the Office of Civil Defense-Cagayan Valley, said evacuation in low-lying areas in Cagayan province was continuing as of yesterday morning.
Conag said there were only 337 families or 960 individuals who were evacuated in the province, which is lower compared to the number given by Rapsing.
“Our operation (evacuation) still ongoing in the flooded areas,” said Conag, adding however that floods in some areas have started to recede as of yesterday.
Conag said some roads and bridges were declared not passable to vehicles
due to the floods.
AID
President Marcos Jr. assured communities affected by Neneng that additional assistance like food packs and other non-food relief items are on the way.
The President, on Twitter, said his government is closely monitoring the situation and is prepared to act accordingly.
“We are watching #NenengPH closely. Government assets are in place to deal with the aftermath and ensure the primary needs of those affected, especially food, safe drinking water, and electricity. Nevertheless, to the provinces in the North that have felt the effects, help is on the way. We encourage everyone to follow the directives of your LGUs and MDRRMCs,” Marcos said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it still has 1.2 billion in standby funds (204.55 million) and stockpiles of family food packs P348.956 million), other food items (P178.628 million) and non-food relief items (P497.535 million). — With Jocelyn Montemayor
