Alcala, Cagayan – Previously flood stricken barangays in the towns of Alcala, Amulung, Baggao, Camalaniugan, Iguig, Piat, Solana and Tuguegarao city are once again deluged on Monday, December 21. As tropical depression VickyPH made two of its landfalls last Saturday December 19 and Sunday, December 20 over the southern parts of the country, it has triggered the North East monsoon and the La Niña phenomenon to bring high volumes of rain to Cagayan Valley, viciously increasing the watercourses in Cagayan province.
DOST PAGASA’s two flood bulletin forecasts have observed levels at the Cagayan river basin to have swiftly increased its size in only 24 hours starting on Saturday, December 19 to December 20. Consequently, NIA-MARIIS or NIA-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System also opened a maximum of 12 meters at the Magat dam activating six (6) of its radial gates contributing to the slow to gradual increase of the Cagayan river going downstream raising the water level at Buntun Bridge station to its critical mark at 11.63 by 11:30pm of Sunday, December 20.
The effects of both the persistent rains brought by the tail-end of a frontal system and the North East Monsoon affecting Northern Luzon have resulted to the displacement of over an estimated 1,500 individuals or more in 7 Cagayan towns.
Relief and Assistance
Cagayan PSWDO or Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office has already deployed relief operations on Monday, December 21 to all affected towns as follow through to the initial pre-emptive evacuation activities as well as the rescue operations by LGUs and the Provincial Government of Cagayan. TNF
