Cagayan rescue ops in flooded areas stopped; relief ops continue

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba on Monday said rescue operations have already stopped in the province for victims of the huge flooding after Typhoon Ulysses crossed Luzon last week. 

At a Laging Handa press briefing, Mamba said relief operations continue for the affected families in the province. He said most of the relief operations are now by land as the province's national highway is already passable. 

"Wala na po kaming mga rescue operations ngayon. Relief na lang po ang ginagawa namin ngayon," Mamba said. 

"At this point in time po nag-relief operations po tayo using the land na po dahil for how many days po hindi pupuwede 'yung highway mismo natin. At this point po mayroon tayong relief operations using helicopters pa rin in some areas na 'di po abot ng land transportation," he added. 

In an earlier interview, Mamba said many places in the province remained isolated due to roads rendered not passable by floods caused by Typhoon Ulysses, and that relief operation teams have to use choppers to deliver food and water to the flood-hit residents.

At the Laging Handa briefing, Mamba said floods continue to subside except for some secondary roads. 

"Humuhupa na po. Kaninang umaga ang reading po namin ay 8.3 [meters] na po. Ibig sabihin bumaba na po from 13.1 [meters] diyan sa measuring system po namin. So humuhupa na po ito. Awa ng Diyos 'yung ating national highway ay passable na, except for some few na mga secondary roads pa," Mamba said.

The governor said their roads could be completely cleared from floods by next week through the assistance of national and local agencies. 

"Siguro po, we expect in the next two days kung hindi na uulan ay wala na pong bahang areas. Siguro in the next week, we could clear all of these things with the help of DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] and even our private contractors na tumutulong din po sa atin... of course 'yung mga local din po," he said. 

Ten were killed in Cagayan while one remains missing after floods swept the province, which has been placed under state of calamity. 

Power supply has yet to be restored in the province, according to the governor. 

Mamba is hoping that the Cagayan River could be dredged this year to help in their measures to prevent floods in the province. 

"We hope we could start this year, the dredging itself kasi kung magagawa po namin ito, mami-mitigate talaga ang effect ng flooding dito sa amin," Mamba said. —KG/KBK, GMA News