Cagayan floods displace thousands; man dead

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Floods that hit Cagayan province the past days left one person dead and thousands displaced.

Reports identified the fatality as Pedro Oliva of northern Abulug town, who drowned while trying to save his carabao from the rampaging current in a river last week, while the province and the rest of northern Luzon were hit by heavy rains.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development said hardest-hit by the flooding were the towns of Abulug, Camalaniugan and Ballesteros where more than 1,500 families or at least 7,000 residents were displaced.

Flooding, according to reports, also hit several villages in Baggao town and Tuguegarao City, the capital.

A number of affected residents were still at evacuation centers as floodwaters in their villages have yet to subside.