Still recovering from Nika, Isabela braces for Typhoon Ofel

Barely recovering from the effects of Typhoon Nika, Isabela residents are now preparing for the arrival of Typhoon Ofel.

According to a 24 Oras report by James Agustin on Wednesday, some residents have returned to evacuation centers ahead of another impending storm.

“Mahirap po mawalan ng bahay… Nakikitira lang kami sa lupang ito. Mahirap pa rin kasi gumastos kami rito saka yung mga gamit namin. Meron man sanang tumulong kahit konti lang... Kapag sinabihan kami evacuate, evacuate na lang po agad,” said resident Leonard Palanggoy whose house and valuables were damaged by Nika’s strong winds and heavy rain.

(It's hard to lose your house... We only live on this land. It's still hard because we spent money for this, and also for our things. Hopefully, someone will help even just a little bit. If they tell us to evacuate, we'll just do it right away.)

"Biglaan lang po kasi. Kasi ano, sobrang lakas po ng hangin kaya nakakadala po. Dito po muna kami sir, kasi baka bigla na naman po ganoon na naman po mangyari sa amin," added resident Mylene Lacanlale whose family chose to evacuate.

(It was so sudden. The wind was so strong, so we were scared. We'll just stay here, because that might happen to us again.)

Other residents have begun to use what’s available to reinforce their houses, such as large rocks on the roof.

“Sa hirap po ng buhay, lalo yung mga pinagkukunan namin na binebenta, nasira po lahat yung sagingan namin, saka yung mga talong doon banda nasira po lahat,” added resident Rosita Valdes.

(It’s a hard life, especially when it comes to finding sources of livelihood. Our banana trees were destroyed, even the eggplants we planted. Everything.)

Seven families are currently housed at Barangay Apanay’s Evacuation Center, while the Alicia Municipality Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office prepared rescue equipment for their four flood-prone barangays.

In Ilagan City with over 43 flood-prone barangays, up to 340 families are now staying in evacuation centers.

“We encourage them na open ang ating evacuation centers kasi meron pa tayong Ofel at meron pa tayong Pepito na inaasahan na pwedeng dumaan sa Northern Luzon para mas madali na sa atin ang evacuation,” said the Ilagan City DRRMO Head Geralyn Gangan.

(We encourage them that our evacuation centers remain open because we still have Ofel and we are expecting Pepito to pass through Northern Luzon, so evacuations would be easier.)

Meanwhile, more than 5,000 relief packs are on standby in case of emergencies.

Two spillway gates remain open to release water from Magat Dam.

Authorities continue to monitor coastal municipalities and have started pre-emptive evacuation in Palanan. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News