WATER RISING Floodwater tops C. Versoza Bridge at Barangay Agaman in Baggao, Cagayan, on Thursday as Typhoon “Marce” (international name: Yinxing) dumps heavy rains in the province. Authorities urge residents and motorists in Cagayan Valley to exercise caution due to hazardous road conditions as the typhoon batters the region. —PHOTO COURTESY OF BAGGAO INFORMATION OFFICE
TUGUEGARAO CITY — Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) lashed northern Luzon on Thursday, bringing intense rainfall and fierce winds that caused extensive property damage, flooded low-lying areas, and forced residents to evacuate.
Marce had forced at least 4,912 families (17,737 people) to seek refuge in evacuation centers or with relatives and neighbors across Cagayan province, data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) showed.
At an online briefing, Ruelie Rapsing, chief of PDRRMO, said the evacuated families came from 21 towns, most of which implemented preemptive evacuations to ensure the safety of residents.
READ: Marce landfall expected over Cagayan coast in a few hours
Of the evacuees, around 4,312 families (16,090 people) were temporarily staying in evacuation centers.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned of “potentially life-threatening conditions” caused by Marce as it made landfall over Sta. Ana, Cagayan, on Thursday.
The center of Marce was located in the vicinity of Sta. Ana according to the weather bureau’s 5 p.m. bulletin, with the storm forecast to make another landfall along the coast of northwestern mainland Cagayan on Thursday night as it continued to move westward over Aparri Bay.
Pagasa warned that regardless of the storm’s position in the succeeding hours, “potentially life-threatening conditions” will be experienced in the Babuyan Islands and the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao. These conditions include typhoon-force winds, storm surge inundation, and torrential rainfall, it said.
Affected areas
Marce has maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kph. But Pagasa expects the storm to weaken as it interacts with the terrain of mainland Luzon, although it noted that Marce will remain a typhoon while inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
The storm is expected to exit PAR by Friday afternoon or evening as it moves at a speed of 10 kph. After crossing northeastern Cagayan, Pagasa said there was a possibility for the storm to reach super typhoon category.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 was raised over the northern portion of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of Apayao, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte.
Batanes, the rest of Cagayan, the rest of Apayao, the rest of Ilocos Norte, the northern portion of Abra and the northern portion of Ilocos Sur were under Signal No. 3 while Signal No. 2 was hoisted over the northern and central portions of Isabela, the rest of Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, the northern portion of Ifugao, the northern portion of Benguet, the rest of Ilocos Sur and the northern portion of La Union.
The rest of La Union, Pangasinan, the rest of Ifugao, the rest of Benguet, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, the northern and central portions of Aurora, the northern portion of Nueva Ecija and the northern portion of Zambales were placed under Signal No. 1.
Sta. Ana hit hard
In Sta. Ana, Cagayan, the typhoon toppled food stands, submerged bridges, and flooded roads.
The municipal police station was damaged as strong winds battered the building, scattering debris across the premises, a scene captured in videos shared by local officials.
Despite this, the Sta. Ana police assured the public their personnel would remain on high alert, prioritizing residents’ safety.
Gonzaga town also felt the full force of Marce as powerful winds shattered the glass door of its town hall, with local authorities reporting damage to government buildings. In Lal-lo town, several electric posts were toppled by the storm’s high-speed winds.
More funds
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has asked for an additional P875 million from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to augment the quick response funds in anticipation of more tropical cyclones projected to enter the country until yearend.
In a press briefing, DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the agency’s latest request for funding was under review by the DBM and they were hoping that it would be released next week.
Dumlao said the DSWD’s remaining standby funds for disaster response stood at P107 million, with more than 1.3 million food packs on standby for release nationwide.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered local government units (LGUs) to strictly execute forced evacuation and prioritize the safety of vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
“LGUs are also encouraged to identify and prepare evacuation centers that are structurally sound and equipped with basic facilities such as sanitation, medical aid, and designated areas for high-risk groups,” the DILG said. —WITH REPORTS FROM KATHLEEN DE VILLA AND NESTOR CORRALES