Red alert status up in Cagayan Valley as ‘Karding’ threatens Northern Luzon

CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela — The civil defense office in Cagayan Valley on Saturday, Sept. 24, hoisted a red alert status as Tropical Storm “Karding” (international name: Noru) is expected to hit Northern Luzon and will make landfall in Divilacan, Isabela on Sunday, Sept. 25.

A pre-disaster assessment was initiated while the information drive was amplified regarding the 200-cubic-meter-per-second expected water release at Magat Dam starting at 12 noon Saturday.

The prepositioning of response assets and food packs was also done.

A no sail-no fishing policy was also imposed, and a liquor ban was hoisted regionwide.

The Magat dam’s reservoir was pegged at 187.74 meters above sea level, 410.96 cubic meters per second inflow, and 493.06 cubic meters per second outflow.

As of 5 a.m., Saturday, the state weather bureau said in a bulletin that Karding has slightly intensified while moving West Southwestward at 15 km/h.

The storm was last located 795 km East of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It had “maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 105 km/h, and central pressure of 994 hPa,” the bulletin said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been raised over Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the southern portion of mainland Cagayan (Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Iguig, Solana, Tuao, Enrile), Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Aurora, and the northern and eastern portions of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Laur, Rizal, San Jose City, Lupao, Llanera, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, General Tinio).

READ: Tropical storm Karding intensifies, Signal No. 1 in 9 areas