Floods submerge bridge, corn fields in Tuguegarao City

A boatman is about to leave a marooned boat near the submerged Capatan bridge in Tuguegarao City on December 28, 2016 due to rains and water releases from Magat Dam. (PHOTO BY VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. @VillVisayaJrINQ, INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON)

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Floods triggered by heavy rains have inundated cornfields, roads and a major bridge, which affected traffic here on Wednesday (Dec. 28).

Rains have been pounding this city since Tuesday (Dec. 27), prompting operators of the Magat Dam to release water when its reservoir level reached 192.50 meters above sea level (masl). Magat’s spilling level is 193 masl.

Farmer Henry Lagayan of Capatan village walked away in dismay on Wednesday when floods submerged his corn fields. “We have become used to the floods, that is why I brought my cattle to higher grounds when rains started to pour,” he said.

Lagayan said the Capatan bridge here was buried in water, preventing motorists from crossing towards the downtown area from the Tagga and Dadda villages.

In Isabela, floods also submerged the overflow bridges of Alicaocao in Cauayan City, Baculod in Ilagan City, Cabagan-Santa Maria and Santo Tomas-Cabagan.  SFM