Cagayan placed under state of calamity

November 14, 2020

Cagayan Province was placed under a state of calamity due to  flooding in the province which killed at least nine people , Governor Manuel Mamba said Saturday.

This would speed up relief operations especially in 24 of the 28 towns in  Cagayan and the capital city of Tuguegarao which are flooded.

“Our Provincial Board approved this (declaration of state of calamity) at about 11 o'clock,” Mamba told dzBB.

Mamba appealed for help from the national government, saying they were overwhelmed by floods despite  early preparations for Typhoon ''Ulysses'' which include forced evacuation of residents along  the Cagayan river.

''We badly need aid, especially relief goods from food to water,'' he said.

Mamba said four were killed by landslide while two drowned. The other three, including a rescuer of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, died from electrocution.

Four other rescuers were injured because of electrocution, he added.

At least 47,000 individuals from all over the province were rescued, said Mamba.

Floods, which Mamba said is the worst in at least 40 years, was due to rain from provinces of Quiriino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Kalinga and Isabela.

He said it is the first time water level in the province's  gauging station at the Buntun Bridge reached 13.1 meters, adding this was aggravated by release of water from Magat Dam. DMS