Cagayan residents evacuate amid Typhoon Marce — OCD Region 2

Residents in parts of Cagayan have already evacuated as Typhoon Marce hits the province, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 2 said on Wednesday.

“Kahapon pa po ay nag-abiso na kami, lalong lalo na sa ating mga local government units at sa kanilang mga local DRMM councils or offices, na magkaroon na po ng pre-emptive evacuation gaya po ng mga nagdaang mga bagyo. Ito na po yung pang-apat namin sa loob ng isang buwan,” said OCD Region 2 director Leon Rafael in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(We already advised the local government units and their respective DRRM councils or offices yesterday to conduct a pre-emptive evacuation just like in the past typhoons. This is the fourth time we were hit by a storm in just a month.) 

Signal No. 3 over Santa Ana and Gonzaga in the province’s mainland and Signal No. 2 have been hoisted over the rest of Cagayan, according to state weather bureau PAGASA as of 2 p.m.

OCD said the residents who evacuated during the recent onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon are the ones who are also expected to temporarily flee their homes again for Marce.

“Sila rin yung inaasahan natin na magtutungo sa mga evacuation centers kasi sila po yung mga nandoon sa gilid ng Cagayan River at sila yung mga nandun sa mga lugar na pwedeng magkaroon ng localized flooding at pwedeng magkaroon ng pagguho ng lupa,” said Rafael.

(They are also the same people we are expecting to go back to the evacuation centers because they reside beside the Cagayan River and in areas that are prone to localized flooding and landslides.)

With the series of tropical cyclones hitting the province, the regional OCD added that food packs are being replenished for evacuees.

Marce, is the 13th storm to enter the country this year, and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday evening. —RF, GMA Integrated News