State of calamity in Batanes and Ilocos Norte as Julian leaves trail of destruction

The provinces of Batanes and Ilocos Norte have separately declared a state of calamity in the wake of Typhoon Julian.

In Joseph Morong's report on Saksi on Tuesday, the savagery of the storm felled trees, killed animals, and flooded streets that were already impassable due to zero-visibility. Public utilities and services such as water, electricity and lines of communication are still limited in the province. 

"Iba ito kasi masyado siyang matagal. Sobrang nakasira ng mga bahay dito at sobrang lakas ng ulan. First time din namin na malakas yung flood namin dito sa Batanes," Governor Marilou Cayco said.

(This is different because it was so long. It destroyed houses here and the rain was so heavy. This is the first time we have had flooding as strong as this in Batanes.)

The airport is operational, so the province is asking for help from the national government. "Humihingi ako ng una, bottled water. Ang kinatatakutan ko pag walang tubig is baka mamaya magkaroon naman kami ng diarrhea outbreak dito," she added.

(We are asking for bottled water. My fear is that if we don't have clean water we might get a diarrhea outbreak.)

In a separate 24 Oras report by Jasmin Gabriel Galban, Ilocos Norte declared a state of calamity after Julian affected more than 17,000 families in the area.

In Barangay Calaoa-an, Candon, Ilocos Sur, several houses remain submerged in flood while farmers attempt to save their harvest from flooded fields.

The Department of Public Works and Highways responded to a mudslide in Santa, while in Laoag City up to 655 families have been affected, including residents of Barangay Gabu Norte, where an embankment under construction collapsed.

A bridge and part of a road also collapsed in Vintar, while some tombstones were destroyed in a cemetery in Sarrat.

"[Ang] pinakamaraming population mostly is Barangay 1, then ang infrastructure ‘yung pinakagrabe [na sira] talaga is dito sa Gabu. That's why we are monitoring also,” said Laoag CDRRMO Officer-in-Charge Dr. Melvin Manuel.

([The] most population is Barangay 1, then the [worst] damage in infrastructure is in Gabu. That’s why we are also monitoring.)

"We heard na may casualties tayo, pero wala pang verified information ito. Wala pang official reports. [Mayroon daw] isa sa Batac, isa sa Paoay, missing ‘yun, at isa dito sa Laoag City,” said Engineer Randy Nicolas of the Ilocos Norte LDRRMO II.

(We heard that we have casualties, but there is still no verified information. We still have no official reports. [There allegedly is] one in Batac, one missing in Paoay, and one in Laoag City.)

Three-foot deep floods Sitio Subdivision in Barangay Lumbang, Calasiao, Pangasinan buried up to 250 houses in floodwater.

“[Dahil kasi] sa ulan, saka yung mga hindi natatapos na dike. Kaya yung pagtaas ng tubig, pupunta dito [at] mababa dito sa amin,” Lumbang Kagawad Danilo Joves said.

([Because of] the rain, and the unfinished embankment. That is why when the water rose, it flowed to here [and] our area was low.)

There are no evacuees yet, but relief goods have been prepared.

The Marusay River in Calasiao reached 6 feet on Tuesday morning and is closely approaching the 8-foot critical level.

As of 6 p.m., Ilocos Norte has estimated up to P85 million in agricultural damages and more than 1,000 evacuees.

The numbers are expected to increase as more local governments submit their reports.

Meanwhile in Abra, 7 individuals were rescued from an overflowing Tineg River.

In Boliney, a patient in a wheelchair had to be lifted and escorted home by a police car due to muddy roads caused by a landslide.

Two houses and several vehicles were also destroyed in landslides at Baguio-Bontoc Road and Alab Section in the Mountain Province, while collapsed soil caused the Mountain Province-Ilocos Sur Road in Barangay Poblacion, Bauko to close down. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News