Nearly 2,000 people affected by Super Typhoon Goring –NDRRMC

A total of 1,968 individuals based in the Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley were affected due to Super Typhoon Goring (international name: Saola), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Sunday.

Based on the NDRRMC’s latest situational report, most of the affected residents or 1,339 of them were in Cagayan Valley. There were 629 people, meanwhile, affected in the Ilocos Region.

So far, 832 people or 213 families were transferred to 24 evacuation centers because of the super typhoon. There were also 265 people or 78 families staying in other places outside of evacuation centers.

Goring has also caused a P40 million worth of infrastructure damage in Cagayan Valley.

Eight roads and two bridges were also not passable.

NDRRMC spokesperson Edgar Posadas said several areas in the Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley were flooded because of the continuous rain.

“But so far manageable pa naman, kasi wala pa kaming nare-receive na major reports or major requests for assistance,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(But so far it's still manageable, because we haven't received any major reports or major requests for assistance.)

No casualties

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Joint Information Center head Diego Agustin Mariano said Sunday there were no reported casualties so far due to the super typhoon.

“We are still yet to receive the official reports from our regions on the details of the effects, but as of now no casualties are reported as of reporting time,” he said in a Viber message.

Cagayan and Isabela

The provinces of Cagayan and Isabela have started to feel the effects of Goring on Saturday night.

Heavy rains and strong winds knocked down some electric posts, rendering almost the entire Districts 1 and 2 without power, Cagayan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Ruelie Rapsing said on Sunday.

There were also fallen trees reported near the municipality of Sta. Teresita, he added.

Flooding was also reported in the towns of Lal-lo, Sta. Ana, and Gonzaga.

Some residents in the town of Baggao were evacuated due to the threat of landslide.

Meanwhile, some residents in the coastal town of Divilacan in Isabela were evacuated as their houses are made of light materials, PDRRMO head Atty. Constante Foronda Jr. said.

The eastern portion of Isabela remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 as Goring maintained its strength while moving south southwestward, PAGASA said late Sunday morning.

According to PAGASA, the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) being enhanced by Goring will also bring occasional or monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas over the next three days. —KG, GMA Integrated News