Marce exits after battering Cagayan; new LPA looms

MANILA, Philippines — Another tropical cyclone is forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) in the next few days after the exit of Typhoon Marce.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said there is high chance that a cyclone could form or enter PAR next week.

A tropical cyclone-like vortex has a high probability of developing while approaching east of Luzon.

Once developed into a cyclone, the weather disturbance is likely to traverse the Northern-Central Luzon area.

The cyclone will be named Nika and will again hit the areas of Northern Luzon still reeling from the onslaught of Marce.

Marce, with international name Yinxing, carried maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 185 kph as it exited PAR.

All tropical cyclone wind signals have been lifted by PAGASA.

The trough of the typhoon is still bringing isolated rains over La Union, Pangasinan and Zambales. Localized thunderstorms may bring isolated rains over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

PAGASA warned of possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. 

Marce’s aftermath

Typhoon Marce affected a total of 7,233 families or 20,674 people in various provinces in at least three regions in Northern Luzon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 239 barangays from 45 localities in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) experienced heavy rains and flooding.

Of those affected, 3,958 families or 11,476 people sought temporary shelter at 186 different evacuation centers, while others stayed at home or with relatives in safer areas. 

The NDRRMC, as of yesterday’s monitoring, said there have so far been no reported deaths, injuries or missing persons related to Typhoon Marce.

It gave assurance that those most affected and displaced are receiving relief goods and other basic needs, especially those staying in evacuation centers. 

The NDRRMC is yet to release data on estimated damage to agriculture, infrastructure and houses in affected regions.

Response

The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua sailed to the Port of Albay last Nov. 7 with family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), reported the agency.

The family food packs came from Cebu City, and would be given to residents of the Bicol region who fell victim to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, it noted.

Meanwhile, the PCG’s BRP Gabriela Silang, which carried 5,500 family food packs from DSWD, arrived in Batanes that was hit by Super Typhoon Leon.

Batanes Gov. Marilou Cayco thanked the crew of the Gabriela Silang “for their dedicated service in transporting the relief supplies to Batanes” last Nov. 4.

The same vessel also delivered over 8,000 family food packs from Manila to Batanes last Nov. 7 for Kristine storm victims.

The PCG said its personnel helped evacuate around 700 families in Aparri and Cagayan while Marce was dumping heavy rains and blowing strong winds over the province.

Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson, said at least 600 police officers were deployed in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and CAR, which were among the areas hit by Marce.

Fajardo told reporters that police have so far conducted 24 humanitarian operations in Cagayan Valley.

She said seven police infrastructure were damaged by the storm.

There were two preemptive evacuations of residents in areas in Cagayan Valley, Fajardo said.

Class suspensions

In La Union, classes in all levels, both private and public, and work in government offices – aside from frontline services – were suspended yesterday due to Typhoon Marce.

Gov. Raffy Ortega-David canceled work at the capitol, while local government executives in 19 towns and San Fernando City enacted their own calls, due to strong winds and heavy rains brought by Marce.

David said that 105 families or 257 persons in Barangay Mindoro, Bangar town were evacuated. La Union is under storm signal No. 2 as of yesterday. 

In Cagayan, road systems and other government structures, such as schools, suffered the brunt of Marce’s wrath.

The roofs of almost all of the buildings at Buguey North Central School were ripped apart by powerful winds on Thursday afternoon, the Cagayan Provincial Information Office (CPIO) reported, with all learning materials destroyed. 

School facilities at the Licerio Antiporda National High School Main campus were not spared, reports added.

The public works department in Region II initially declared numerous roads and bridges impassable as of Friday morning. 

The Batanes district engineering office reported that the San Vicente-Savidug-Chavayan-Sumnanga-Nakanmuan Road in Barangay Nakanmuan, Sabtang, Batanes was shut down because of rock slides.

The Cagayan 1st district engineering office also reported that the Junction Gattaran-Cumao-Capissayan-Sta. Margarita Bolos Road at Piña Weste, Gattaran town was not passable as of yesterday morning because of high water levels.

Motorists were advised to take the alternate route of Baybayog-Baggao-Dalin-Sta. Margarita Road.

A number of bridges were also rendered impassable: Anquiray-Abolo Steel Bridge, the Annabuculan-Tana Bridge and the Cordova-Goran Bridge in Amulung, which had become submerged.  

Very strong winds and rains destroyed a concrete house in Abulug town, while several houses and buildings were damaged in Ballesteros, Aparri and Pamplona towns. 

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba with retired PNP chief Edgar Aglipay yesterday oversaw relief goods distribution to evacuees in Gonzaga town.

According to the Gonzaga Municipal Social Welfare Development Office, at least 704 families or 1,035 people were brought to safety from barangays Minanga, Caroan and Pateng.

Communities in Buguey, Lal-lo, Allacapan remained underwater as of yesterday, the CPIO added. 

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian heads to Cagayan tomorrow.

Korea donates $500,000

Meanwhile, South Korea has provide humanitarian assistance worth $500,000, through the World Food Program, to support relief efforts in response to typhoon devastation.

The Korean embassy expressed hope that the aid will help in “the swift return to daily life” of affected residents. — Michael Punongbayan, Ghio Ong, Emmanuel Tupas, Jun Elias, Artemio Dumlao