Power returning to Northern Samar after Tisoy

CATARMAN, Northern Samar – Electricity has been restored in some parts of Northern Samar six days after Typhoon Tisoy barrelled through the province last Dec. 2.

Residents of Catarman town were the first to get back power supply around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7., but this was interrupted by an outage six hours later. Power was back at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Hector Tabilisma, Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco) acting general manager, said the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) tried to restore power but “all tests failed” because transmission lines were still unstable after being whipped by Tisoy.

Tabilisma said full restoration of power would depend on NGCP lines being stable again.

He said priority was given to the central town of Catarman, where the provincial capitol was located.

Some parts of the towns of Bobon and San Jose have also been reconnected to power on Sunday evening.

Melfrence Capulong, NGCP Eastern Visayas information officer, said linemen found several damage to transmission lines, including two broken electric cross arms, a toppled electric post and 12 leaning posts.

Capulong said NGCP workers started restoring lines last Dec. 5 and hoped to finish by weekend.

Tabilisma said NGCP and the provincial government would try to restore power before Christmas.

At least 100 linemen from other utilities in the region had been sent to the province to help.

But after nearly a week of working under the rain, the linemen showed signs of exhaustion.

Norsamelco had launched a fund-raising drive for the linemen to compensate for their extra effort.

Donation boxes had been placed in Norsamelco offices for the purpose.

Edited by TSB