Strong winds and rain batter a town as Typhoon “Ompong” hits Tuguegarao City, Cagayan province, northeastern Philippines on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. (AP)
LAOAG CITY—- Fallen acacia trees along the national highway and galvanized iron sheets torn from several houses and schools greeted residents of Ilocos Norte on Saturday morning, Sept. 15, as Typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) brought strong winds and rain here.
Some of the trees smashed cars.
Government work crew tasked to clear roads have begun to inspect some areas of the province but howling winds prevented them from venturing any further.
Power outages affect most towns as well as telephone and internet signals.
About 9,000 people mostly from coastal areas have since moved to evacuation centers before the storm hit.
On Friday morning in Badoc town, 21-year-old Mark Cainglit stepped on a live wire at his roof while fixing his television antennae at Barangay (village) Gabut Norte at 11 a.m.
He was rushed to the hospital for leg burns, said Marcel Tabije of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Flights at the Laoag International Airport have been cancelled from Sept. 14 to Sunday, Sept. 16, and will resume on Monday, Sept. 17.
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