Thousands displaced in Isabela, Cagayan floods

16 Isabela bridges not passable due to ‘Tisoy’ 

By Raymund Catindig

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela – Thousands were displaced as non-stop rains inundated 19 towns and three cities in this province and Cagayan in the past two days.

Ilagan City in Isabela, one of the worst-hit areas, was placed under a state of calamity yesterday. The declaration will allow the local government to tap calamity funds for relief and rehabilitation efforts.

The towns of Cabagan, Roxas, San Mateo, Luna, San Pablo, San Isidro, Benito Soliven, San Mariano, Alicia, Cabatauan and Cauayan City were also severely affected by flooding.

Also flooded were several villages in Ramon, Angadanan, Dinapigue, Cabatuan, Sta. Maria, Tumauini, Mallig, Quirino, San Guillermo, San Manuel, Aurora, Delfin Albano, Echague, Quezon, Jones, Sto. Tomas Burgos and Naguillan towns.

The Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said eight bridges remained not passable to motorists as of 11 a.m. yesterday.

In Tumauini, two persons swept away by floodwaters in Barangays Balug and Lanna were reported missing. 

Isabela Gov. Rodito Albano said relief operations for displaced residents along the Cagayan and Pinacanauan Rivers were ongoing yesterday.

Col. Mariano Rodriguez, Isabela police director, said rains over the Sierra Madre mountain range cascaded to tributaries of the Cagayan River, inundating low-lying areas in Isabela and Cagayan.

In Cagayan, Tuguegarao City Mayor Jefferson Soriano suspended work in government and private offices as well as classes in all levels due to the floods.

Soriano said at least 25 barangays in his city were submerged in floodwaters.

Rosendo Calayan, 71, died when he was gored by his carabao while pulling the animal to higher ground in Barangay Linao Norte.

The Cagayan PDRRMC said residents of Lasam, Rizal, Baggao, Tuao and Pamplona were also hit by flooding. 

As of 1 p.m. Thursday floodwaters in affected villages in the province have yet to subside.

Ramil Tuppil, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration resident meteorologist, clarified that the rains were not spawned by Typhoon Tisoy.

Tuppil said the rains were due to the northeast monsoon and tail-end of a cold front, which are affecting Northern Luzon. He said heavy rains are expected in the area until weekend.

Meanwhile, the National Irrigation Administration said it released water from Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela on Friday.

The water level in the dam is nearing its spilling mark of 193 meters. The dam’s water elevation was recorded at 191.77 meters at around 11 a.m. Thursday.

The heavy rainfall induced by Typhoon Tisoy has brought floods to the province of Isabela that rendered 16 bridges still not passable Thursday.

Isabela Provincial Police said these bridges were in Cabagan/Sto Tomas ; Sta Maria/Cabagan ; Alicaocao, Cauayan City ; Brgy Sipat, Cauayan City ; Turayong, Cauayan City ; Brgy Cabisera 8, Ilagan City ; Brgy Baculod, Ilagan City ; Brgy Gucab, Echague ; Brgy Annafunan, Echague ; Brgy Sto Domingo, Quirino ; Brgy Sinaoangan Norte, San Agustin ; Brgy Colorado, San Guillermo ; Brgy Dipacamo, San Guillermo ; Brgy Palawan, San Guillermo ; Brgy Fugu,Ilagan City and in Brgy Sta Isabel,Ilagan City.

Police Capt. Frances Littaua, spokesperson of Isabela Provincial Police, said there were 145 persons stranded by floods in Brgy Colorado, Rizal, Dipacamo, Brgy Dipacamo, Villa Teresita, Bugos and Villa Sanches San Guillermo Isabela.

Ten vehicles were stranded in Barangay Guam, Rizal and Barangay Villa Teresita, San Guillermo.

At least 19 towns and cities remained flood as of Thursday. These were:Ilagan City–Brgy Santa Barbara, Baculud, Fugu, Guinatan, Alingigan 2nd and Bagumbayan.

Roxas-Sitio Puragit, Brgy San Antonio, Sitio Acacia, San jose and Nuesa, Cabagan-Brgy Pilig, San Mateo-Brgy Gaddanan , Tumauini-Sitio Pantalan Brgy Moldero and Brgy Fugu Sur , San Mariano-Brgy Zone 1 and 2, Cauayan-Brgy Sipat and district 1.

Police reported that some 462 evacuation centers with 1,486 individuals were operation.

At presstime, areas still without electricity in the City of Ilagan were Barangay Marana 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Barangay Alangingan 1st-2nd-3rd, Barangay Sipay and Barangay San Andres.