MANILA, Philippines - Super Typhoon Lawin, the strongest storm to hit the country in recent years, left several towns in Northern Luzon isolated as it toppled power and transmission lines, damaged houses and displaced thousands in its wake.
Twelve people were initially reported killed during the storm while it moved towards the South China Sea.
The state weather bureau has downgraded Lawin (international name Haima) into typhoon category after it made landfall and barreled through northern Luzon before dawn yesterday.
Lawin, which reached super typhoon category as it inched closer to Philippine landmass earlier this week, made landfall at the vicinity of Peñablanca, Cagayan at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday.
It reached its peak shortly before making landfall, packing maximum sustained winds of 225 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 315 kph.
Power transformers lie along Maharlika Road in Tuguegarao City after the onslaught of Lawin. EDD GUMBAN
Several areas in the path of the super typhoon were placed under Signal No. 5, the highest cyclone warning issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
At dawn yesterday, the extent of damage left in Lawin’s path became evident, with overturned vans, toppled or leaning electric posts and debris blocking roads.
Most stores, their windowpanes shattered and canopies shredded by the wind, were closed.
Rice fields resembled brown lakes under waist-high floodwaters, although cleanup operations had started.
Northern Luzon is still recovering from Typhoon Karen last weekend that killed two people and displaced tens of thousands of villagers.
Officials said they had forced the evacuation of some 18,157 families or a total of 90,580 individuals in Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Bicol region and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has yet to report the amount of damage left by Lawin, which initial estimates said could reach billions of pesos in destroyed agricultural crops and infrastructure.
NDRRMC spokesperson Romina Marasigan said the provinces in CAR, particularly Kalinga and Apayao, became isolated due to landslides that blocked roads and highways.
“Based on reports we have received, they (local government units) are also having communication and power problems. It will take some time to restore communication as well as electricity because of destroyed power lines and cell sites,” Marasigan said.
Kennon Road in Baguio City was closed, as well as the Kiangan-Tinoc-Buguias Boundary Road and the Bulo National Road due to the submerged detour of ongoing Bulo Bridge replacement.
A segment of the Kalinga-Cagayan Road was flooded and not passable to all types of vehicles.
A portion of the Balbalan-Pinukpuk Road in Comyas, Balbalan was also closed to traffic due to soil erosion.
The Tiktik section of the Baguio-Bontoc Road was also closed due to landslide.
There were reports of flooding in Luna Bangar Road in La Union; sections of San Antonio, Narvacan in Ilocos Sur; and in Quinarayan, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.
The Cervantes-Aluling-Bontoc Road was not passable because of landslides.
Seven airports were also closed due to soil erosion caused by the excessive rainfall from the storm.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines ordered the closure of the airports in Laoag, Vigan, Baguio, Lingayen, Tuguegarao, Cauyan and Palawan.
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), on the other hand, reported a number of power and transmission lines in northern Luzon were cut, affecting the provinces of La Union, Isabela, Cagayan, Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.
Lawin also disrupted communication services in northern Luzon.
Smart Communications said services were being restored in Cagayan, Isabela, Benguet, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga and Mountain Province.
Globe Telecom also reported service interruption in these areas but was able to restore mobile services in Baguio City, Benguet, Laoag, parts of Tuguegarao City and Cagayan including the towns of Ballesteros, Cauayan and other areas in Isabela.
Authorities in Pangasinan are monitoring the water level of San Roque Dam as floods affected the towns of Bolinao, San Fabian, Agno, Lingayen, Calasiao, Sual, Bugallon, Bani, Urbiztondo and Alaminos City. – Evelyn Macairan, Louella Desiderio, Artemio Dumlao, Rudy Santos, Eva Visperas, Raymund Catindig, Victor Martin, Jose Rodel Clapano, Giovanni Nilles, Danessa Rivera, Mayen Jaymalin, Ariel Paolo Tejada, AP