At least 14 parishes in the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao have been affected by the impact of severe tropical storm “Maring” (international code name: Kompasu) that hit the northern Philippines this week.
“We received initial reports that the towns of Sta. Ana, Gonzaga, Sta. Teresita, including Baggao, were flooded, and also Abulog, Aparri, and Sanchez Mira and Claveria were also affected,” said Father Andy Semana, social action director of the archdiocese, told Veritas 846.
The priest said the Cagayan River did not overflow but he expressed worry that it will rise when water from the mountains will come down later this week.
“The archbishop has already allocated funds if we need to launch a relief operation to affected families,” said Father Semana.
Rains have caused floods in parts of Cagayan Valley, the Ilocos Region, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that some areas in Cagayan province experienced power interruption on Monday.
At least 200 “at-risk individuals” were brought to evacuation centers, said the agency.
In the town of Baggao, at least 72 families or 224 individuals living in flood and landslide-prone areas were also pre-emptively evacuated.
The storm continued to trigger heavy rains in the northern part of the country on Tuesday, October 12, as it moved over the South China Sea.
It carried maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour from the previous 95 km/h, while its gustiness is up to 125 km/h, said the weather bureau Pagasa.
An average of 20 tropical cyclones form within or enter the Philippines each year.
