Flooding can get worse as Neneng nears northern Luzon

RAVAGED TOWN The flood-ravaged farms in Allacapan, Cagayan province, following the onslaught of Tropical Depression “Maymay” are shown in this aerial inspection on Wednesday | PHOTO COURTESY OF ALLACAPAN MAYOR HARRY FLORIDA

LUCENA CITY—Tropical Depression Neneng already triggered severe flooding in Quezon province on Friday ahead of its projected landfall off Batanes Island, as it spawned heavy rains that prompted officials of the town of Quezon on Alabat Island to suspend classes at all levels.

Wind signals were poised to be raised over parts of extreme northern Luzon as Neneng was projected to develop into a tropical storm category on Saturday, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its 11 a.m. bulletin on Friday, said Neneng was last located 835 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 km per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

‘A little stronger’

President Marcos on Friday said the government was “closely monitoring” the possible impact of Neneng in northern Luzon.

The President said Neneng looked a “little stronger than the previous” one, referring to Supertyphoon “Karding” (international name: Noru) that lashed through Luzon on Sept. 25, adding that an estimated 10,000 people would be affected by Neneng.

“But once again, I think the key to all of these is to watch it very closely because typhoons now have a new feature,” Mr. Marcos told reporters in an interview in Pasay City.

He assured the public that government assets and relief goods were already prepositioned in areas which could be hit by the typhoon.

“The estimate now is that 10,000 people will be affected by this Neneng. So that is what we are—those are the kind of numbers that we are preparing for,” he said.

Possible landfall

The state weather bureau said Neneng could still make a landfall or pass near Babuyan Islands or Batanes province.

In Quezon town, the municipal disaster risk reduction management council (MDRRMC) said many parts of the locality located on the southern part of Alabat Island were affected by the floods spawned by Neneng.

Quezon is among the three towns on the island, situated between the Pacific Ocean and Lamon Bay. Aside from Quezon, the island also hosts the municipalities of Alabat and Perez. Classes in the two other towns, however, were not suspended.

Pagasa said Neneng slightly weakened while moving over the Philippine Sea but was forecast to reach the tropical storm category by Saturday evening or early morning on Sunday before exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Monday.

Still suspended

In Cagayan province, classes remained suspended on Friday in the towns of Sanchez Mira, Lal-lo, Allacapan, Aparri and Abulug due to the widespread flooding on Wednesday in the aftermath of Tropical Depression “Maymay.”

Rogelio Sending Jr., Cagayan provincial information officer, said cleanup operations were still underway in these areas, which were also near the path of Neneng.

Allacapan was placed under a state of calamity on Thursday following the extensive damage to farms and infrastructure caused by Maymay. At least 22 villages in the town were affected by up to 3-foot floods, affecting 1,025 families or 3,849 people, according to its MDRRMC.

Two fishermen in Cagayan died after they drowned while at sea during the onslaught of Maymay, which caused intense rainfall and strong winds in the province on Tuesday. INQ

READ: Neneng maintains strength, to be closest to Batanes, Babuyan Islands on Sunday