Residents of Aurora and Isabela are grappling with the devastation left by Typhoon #NikaPH, which made landfall in Dilasag, Aurora and damaged homes, schools, and farms.
Typhoon Nika brought strong winds and heavy rains, toppling trees and power poles and flooding several areas.
In Casiguran, Aurora, intense winds tore the roof off a school, while floodwaters swamped homes, forcing residents to abandon belongings.
Reynaldo Protestades, who works on a banana plantation, talked of the hardship:
“Manghinayang man, Ma’am. Sa hirap ng buhay dito sa Aurora, ay talagang wala tayong magawa,” he said.
Protestades may have to wait for up to four years for new crops to grow and provide him income again.
“Sana po matulungan kami kasi wala na kaming makain,” Larry Viaje, whose farm was also destroyed, added.
In Isabela, towns like Dinapigue and Alicia faced near-zero visibility on the roads due to heavy rain.
Flooded roads left six bridges impassable, and many residents are still cleaning up mud-covered belongings.
Efforts to restore power in areas like Santiago City in Isabela continue, and residents brace for further challenges as they rebuild from the storm’s impact and Tropical Storm Ofel.