Tropical storm “Mario” (international name: Fung-Wong) exits the
country via the Luzon Strait tonight, but only after massively wreaking
havoc as it intensified the “habagat” (southwest monsoon) since Friday,
paralyzing road networks up north, flooding much of Central Luzon and
Metro Manila, and plunging various areas in darkness all the way down to
Southern Tagalog and Bicol.
At least seven people have been killed, local authorities reported.
In Region 1, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur experienced Mario’s rains
and winds, which toppled electric posts and rendered the whole of both
provinces groping in the dark since Friday.
Thousands of commuters were stranded as thoroughfares in Ilocos
Norte, particularly the national highway in Candon City, were submerged
in flood and impassable to vehicles.
The province is preparing to declare a state of calamity as roads
were being cleared of debris yesterday and the impassable Tabug Bridge
in Batac City, threatened by overflowing water.
Gov. Imee Marcos said agricultural damage was massive, particularly
to rice and onion farms and that the worst-hit towns were Pinili, Badoc,
Paoay and other bay areas.
In Ilocos Sur, Governor Ryan Luis Singson reported that all roads in
the upland towns, particularly the Suyo-Cervantes Road were impassable
due to a landslide and fallen tree branches.
The Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperatives (ISECO) was scrambling to restore electricity in the province.
In Pangasinan, rescue and relief operations by the Provincial
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) continued as
floods plagued Dagupan City, Manaoag, San Fabian and paralyzed the road
networks connecting the province with the rest of the region.
Floods were not expected to subside just yet as water coming from the
mountains of Benguet, via the Sinocalan River, was on its way, PDRRMC
Spokesman Avenix Arenas reported to Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr.
Nine areas have been placed under a state of calamity – Calasiao,
Sta. Barbara, Umingan, Laoac, Mangaldan, San Manuel, Natividad, and
Dagupan City, Arenas added.
The only relief is that the water level at San Roque Dam as of noon
yesterday stood at is 272.7 meters above sea level (masl), way below the
normal level of 280 masl.
In La Union, the Luna Sports Center sheltered thousands of residents from six submerged villages.
Luna Mayor Victor Marvin Marron said evacuation was still ongoing as of yesterday in Barangays Napaset, Rimos 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Earlier, residents were evacuated in the villages of Nagrebcan,
Salcedo, Rissing, Napaset and Barangobong, all in the low-lying town of
Luna where rains have not ceased since Friday.
In the Cordillera Administrative Region, the Office of the Civil
Defense (OCD) reported 263 families or 1,157 individuals were forced to
evacuate their landslide-prone homes in Apayao, Benguet, Mountain
Province due to strong winds and rains since Friday afternoon.
A total of 128 people evacuated the area of the City Camp Lagoon, in
Baguio City as flood waters rose while Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwa
ordered the forced evacuation of 52 families in landslide-prone areas in
Tublay, Tuba, and La Trinidad towns.
The OCD also said that Kennon Road was closed due to landslides and
falling rock. There were also reported rockfall on Halsema Highway.
In Abra, Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin reported a big damage in agriculture
and infrastructure due to Mario’s onslaught, while a number of families
were evacuated from dangerous areas in Tadian, Mountain Province.
Mario left a swath of destruction in Central Luzon, submerging at
least 48 villages in six towns and two cities of Bulacan, Gov.
Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said.
Under flood water were 11 villages in Meycauayan City; six in San
Jose del Monte City; eight in Calumpit; seven each in Sta. Maria and
Obando towns; six in Marilao; and three in Bocaue.
Rescue teams were deployed by the governor to Calumpit and Hagonoy as
these areas expected the cascading of water from higher areas of the
neighboring provinces of Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.
“Both Ipo and Bustos Dams have released excess water… that will cascade down to these towns,” Sy-Alvarado said.
As of yesterday, the water elevation at Ipo Dam was 101.00 meters
(spilling level 101 meters) while the water level at Bustos Dam was
17.55 meters (spilling level 17.70 meters).
Relief supplies to thousands of families have been deployed by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 3 (DSWD-3).
OCD Region 3 Director Josie Timoteo said evacuees in Bulacan, Tarlac,
Zambales and Nueva Ecija have been provided family food packs such as
sardines, eggs and noodles, and mineral water to augment their meals at
least for week or until they go back to their own homes.
Timoteo said supplies were distributed to at least 622 families in
Moncada and Paniqui in Tarlac who were housed in some schools; and
another to 400 families in Palauig, Sta. Cruz, and Castilejos in
Zambales.
In Cavite, six fishermen miraculously survived the habagat onslaught
in the high seas off Rosario town by swimming to shore in Bacoor after
their boats capsized.
Father and son Rio and Ricky Pradas and one Joseph Perez of F/B
(Fishing Boat); Carla Niña and Dominador Garcia, 65, his son Mario, 23,
and one Eboy Estores of F/B Prince Jay-Ar, all of whom were reported
missing Friday were found alive yesterday.
Lady luck was also smiling at 13 passengers and crew members of “MV
Gloria 10,” which capsized in waters off the coast of Monreal and San
Jacinto, Masbate, last Friday while enroute to Pilar, Sorsogon.
Chief Inspector Renato Ramos said habagat caused big waves that
battered the ferry around 11 a.m., three hours after leaving the Masbate
wharf.
Monreal Municipal Police Station and Philippine Coast Guard personnel
were quick to move and reach the victims, rescuing all of them.
