Military struggles with communication lines in area hit by typhoon

Downed trees, fallen electric posts, and volunteer work crew greet Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos when she inspected the aftermath of typhoon Vinta on Friday, All Saints Day, Nov. 1, 2013. Photo courtesy of Alaric Yanos, Communication and Media Office.

MANILA, Philippines—At least one person was reported missing Friday in the aftermath of Typhoon “Vinta”, which lashed at Northern Luzon for almost two days, cutting off communication lines in Cagayan province so that even soldiers conducting clearing operations lost contact with the headquarters of the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command for nearly 12 hours.

The authorities said Loridel Baldos of Quidaoen, San Juan, Abra was reported missing by his friend on Thursday.

Baldos and his companion were fishing in a river when he was washed away, said Major Rey Balido, spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

There were no reports of casualties yet from the NDRRMC late Friday afternoon.

Army Major Emmanuel Garcia, commander of the Nolcom’s 1st Civil Relations Group, said he briefly lost contact with troops from the 21st Infantry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Felix Benitez  who were conducting clearing operations in Cagayan.

The battalion, as well as civilian authorities in the area, could not be reached from 9 p.m. on Thursday until 8 a.m. Friday, Garcia said.

On Friday morning, the battalion was able to report through traditional radio communication that roads and bridges from Tuguegarao City to Aparri were already passable.

The troops continued to clear the Maharlika Road in the coastal towns of Cagayan and were still conducting damage assessment in the area, Garcia said.

The NDRRMC said 116 families or 491 individuals were evacuated in Gonzaga  in Cagayan and in Maconacon in Isabela province.

The government has P95 million worth of emergency relief resources, which include P3.7 million standby funds, nearly 50,000 family food packs worth P12.9 million, and P78.75 relief items that could still be augmented for any type of disaster that would hit the region, the NDRRMC said.