17 more road sections impassable in CAR due to Nika onslaught

Seventeen more road sections are impassable in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) due to the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Nika, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) announced on Wednesday.

“Sixty-four national highway road cut during  (Typhoon) Marce. Pero ngayon po because itong kasunod, na saturated na 'yung lupa. There are additional 17 road cuts dito sa rehiyon, pero dito po ongoing, continuous ang road operations ng Department of Public Works and Highways,” OCD-CAR Regional Director Albert Mogol said in a public briefing.

(There are 64 national highway road cuts during Marce but [because of rains brought about by Nika,] some roads have become saturated. There are additional 17 road cuts in the region but the Department of Public Works and Highways’ road operations are ongoing.)

Nika left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday afternoon but state weather bureau PAGASA said the northern portion of Apayao, particularly Luna and Calanasan, remained under Signal No. 1.

Mogol said more than 4,000 families or about 10,000 individuals were affected by the onslaught of Nika.

He added that there were no reported casualties in the region.

According to Mogol, the OCD delivered 6,000 food packs to the affected areas in the region.

In addition, the Department of Social Welfare Development is sending 10,000 family food packs to CAR.

“We are confident that this is more than enough. Inaanticipate natin na sunod sunod yung bagyo (we anticipate succeeding storms),” Mogol said.

The OCD has recorded 153 Nika-affected barangays in the region.

Mogol has urged the public to postpone their outdoor activities in the region due to the anticipated effects of the bad weather. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News