Over 4,400 families in Cagayan Region have evacuated since late September due to the series of weather disturbances, starting with Typhoon Julian (international name Krathon).
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 2 said 4,472 families or 14,648 individuals are still in evacuation centers, while 1,415 families or 4,833 individuals are temporarily sheltered with friends or relatives as of noontime Monday.
The number is expected to balloon as local authorities conduct preemptive evacuation due to rising water level in rivers and flooding after Magat Dam opened a total of six spillway gates as of 6 p.m.
A social media post by the Tuguegarao City Information Office showed that opening of the six gates totaled 11 meters and discharged 2,356.00 cubic meters per second.
Reservoir water level is at 192.29 meters above sea level, almost near the 193 normal high level.
Opening of more spill gates were done to address inflows after Pepito (international name Man-yi), which reached super typhoon category over the weekend, swelled further Northern Luzon rivers.
With the state weather bureau’s warning of widespread flooding landslides and huge waves, the Cagayan Valley Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ordered all provincial and local government units in flood prone areas of the region to implement preemptive and forced evacuations of residents in view of Magat Dam’s rapid discharge warning.
In Barangay Alibagu in Ilagan City, Isabela, residents left their homes early Monday.
Aside from Tuguegarao City, the widespread flooding brought about by the series of typhoons have inundated parts of Abulug, Alcala, Allacapan, Aparri, Baggao, Ballesteros, Buguey, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Sanchez Mira, Claveria, Sta. Teresita, Sta. Praxedes, and Gattaran in Cagayan; and Ilagan City, Tumauini, Delfin Albano, Cabagan, Sto. Tomas, Sta. Maria, and San Pablo in Isabela. (PNA)
