NDRRMC: 1,063 locals evacuated in Cagayan Valley due to Obet

A total of 1,063 individuals or 331 families were preemptively evacuated in the Cagayan Valley due to Tropical Depression Obet, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Saturday.

In its situational report, the NDRRMC said 6,943 people or 2,001 families had been affected by Obet.

Of those affected, 902 people, or 282 families in Regions 1 and 2 were at 23 evacuation centers. Another 396 people or 122 families in the same regions were being served outside evacuation centers.

A total of 35 flooding incidents, two landslides, and one soil erosion incident were recorded in Region 2. While 10 roads in the region had become impassable at one point, two of these were now traversable.

Twenty cities or municipalities suspended classes, while three suspended work.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Office of Civil Defense-Region 2 Information Officer Michael Conag said some areas in Region 2 remained flooded.

LIVE sa DZBB: Michael Conag, Information Officer, Office of Civil Defense Region 2

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"Meron pa rin tayong napaulat na mga pagtaas ulit simula kahapon, at noong isang araw ay may mga pagtaas until above ankle ang pagbaha," he said.

(There were reports of a rise in the water levels since Friday, and there were ankle-deep floods the other day.)

He added that some families previously evacuated during the passage of Tropical Cyclones Maymay and Neneng remained in evacuation centers.

Conag said evacuees were provided with family food packs and modular tents.

Hundreds of families have returned to their homes on Saturday morning, according to a "24 Oras Weekend" report by Jasmin Gabriel-Galban of GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon.

Thirty-three barangays remained flooded in six towns in Cagayan.

In Barangay Dodan in Aparri, some locals had to utilize boats while others had to walk through the flooded streets. 

As the rice fields were also flooded, farmers in Santa Teresita town harvested what was left. Others dried wet grains under the sun.

Cagayan was still under red alert, as rescue personnel remained on standby in case of an emergency.

Cagayan River was below the alert level as of 2 p.m. — DVM/VBL, GMA News