Pepito causes floods, landslides, power outages

Floods, landslides, and power outages were reported as Tropical Storm Pepito (international name: Saudel) crossed Luzon, according to reports on GMA News’ Unang Balita on Wednesday.

In Isabela, around 275 residents from the towns of Maconacon, Dinapigue, and Benito Soliven evacuated to ensure their safety, as reported by GMA News stringer Bill Visaya.

At least eight bridges in the province were submerged in flood due to the continuous rainfall, among them the bridges of Baculud, Cabisera 8, Kansan, Cabagan-Sta. Maria, Alicaocao, Annafunan, Sinaoangan, and Sto. Domingo.

In Cagayan, Barangay Gaggabutan East was submerged in flood.

Governor Manuel N. Mamba had ordered pre-emptive evacuation in some affected areas.

According to a separate report by Mai Bermudez, some areas in Tagkawayan, Quezon also experienced flooding after a river overflowed due to the continuous rainfall brought by Pepito.

In Lopez, some houses were submerged in flood after Talolong River overflowed. A video footage showed residents crossing the almost waist-deep flood with strong current. Affected residents were evacuated.

In Guinayangan, motorists were not able to pass a road due to a landslide. Some areas in the town were also flooded.

A landslide was also reported in Baras, Catanduanes. Despite not being directly affected by Pepito, the town was also submerged in flood due to continuous rainfall.

In Naga, Camarines Sur, some residential areas experienced knee-deep flood.

According to a report of GMA News stringer George Balbero, residents of Casiguran, Isabela experienced sudden gusts and rainfall as Pepito made landfall in the area around 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

Casiguran and Dilasag encountered power outages.

Small vehicles had a hard time passing the coastal road along Barangay Marikit due to flooding that was exacerbated by high tide.

Around 255 residents living in danger zones from six barangays in Casiguran evacuated from their homes. They stayed in evacuation centers and barangay halls.

Meanwhile, on Maharlika Highway in Barangay Canda Ibaba in Lopez, Quezon, the floodwater reached almost 5 feet, making the bridge impassable to all kinds of vehicles.

Those who wanted to cross the bridge had to do so through bancas.

Aside from Lopez, also submerged in flood was Calauag town, also in Quezon.

"The rainfall coincided with La Niña and the high tide. That is a big problem," Quezon Governor Danilo Suarez told CNN Philippines, according to a Reuters report.

Nearly 6,000 people were evacuated in provinces south of Manila as of Tuesday night, disaster agency data showed, though there have been no reports of casualties.

Bad weather in some areas northeast of Manila had started to clear, with floods receding, Elson Egargue, a disaster official in Aurora province, said in a radio interview.

The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands and 107 million people, is battered by roughly 20 tropical storms annually, with Pepito being the 16th this year.

Pepito (Saudel) is heading for Vietnam where more than 100 people have died in weeks of bad weather.

Vietnam is now in the firing line and expects Saudel to hit the country at full strength when it reaches the Paracels Islands in the South China Sea, the country's disaster agency said, adding the death toll from weeks-long floods and landslides had risen to 111, with 22 still missing. —with Peewee Bacuño/Reuters/KBK/KG, GMA News