9 fishermen rescued amid strong waves 171 families flee as Neneng causes floods in Cagayan

By Vince Jacob Visaya

 TUGUEGARAO CITY — Disaster officials said their response units were able to evacuate some 171 families or 423 people in Santa Ana town, Cagayan province as Severe Tropical Storm Neneng (international name: Nesat) poured rains over northern Luzon early last week.
    Santa Ana information officer Irene Faustino said in an online interview responders rescued a sexagenarian who had to cling to a malunggay tree for hours before he was found in Rapuli village as floods persisted in low-lying areas in the town.
    In Claveria town, nine fisherfolk were rescued safely after strong waves pummeled their three boats off waters Tuesday, Oct. 18, the Philippine Coast Guard-Claveria Substation said.
    Coast Guard David Miguel of the Claveria Substation said they immediately responded after the three boats capsized one after the other because of strong waves and gusty winds.
    Two of the boats were supposed to bring farm animals to Fuga Island while the other boat had two fisherfolk on board bound for an unspecified location.
    The boats were recovered but some of their parts were destroyed by strong waves.
Miguel said they have been coordinating on radio with their substation on Camiguin Island in Calayan, Cagayan, to monitor the situation in the area.
    “The floods are receding now but rescue operations continue while clearing is ongoing at areas where the water receded,” Faustino said.
    Santa Ana Mayor Nelson Robinion and other officials have been scouring the villages to assess the damage, noting that farm animals, poultry, and swine also drowned in the flood, Faustino said.
    Twin landslides also happened along the boundary of Santa Ana and Gonzaga towns, just meters away from the town welcome arc, and another in Rapuli village.
    Landslides blocked the national road linking Cagayan to Ilocos Norte while floods also isolated villages in Santa Praxedes town in Cagayan due to heavy rains induced by Severe Tropical Storm Neneng (international name: Nesat) on Oct. 16. 
    Santa Praxedes Mayor Esterlina Aguinaldo, in an online message, said workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways have started to clear the three landslides along Cadongdongan village and other erosions along San Juan village.  
    The heavy rains have been pouring without letup since Saturday night, the mayor said.
    The floods also forced 337 families or 1,178 people to evacuate in the town, the municipal disaster risk-reduction management office reported.
    The state weather bureau said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 was raised in the southern portion of Batanes (Basco, Mahatao, Uyugan, Ivana, Sabtang) and Babuyan Islands, while TCWS No. 2 prevailed over the rest of Batanes, the rest of Cagayan, Apayao, the northern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Lagayan), and Ilocos Norte. Several areas in north Luzon were also placed under TCWS No. 1.