Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba appeals for aid from the national government as his province was hit by the “worst” flooding in memory.
“We are trying to get all kinds of help that we can get,” Mamba said. “Please help us out in the relief and rescue operations,” he said, citing that 24 towns and Tuguegarao City are inundated, affecting 84,257 people.
Mamba requested the national government to help them with air support so that they could distribute relief goods and rescue people stranded in their homes due to the floods brought by Typhoon Ulysses.
The governor added he has coordinated with the military’s Northern Luzon Command for the air assets deployment.
Mamba also appeals to the National Irrigation Administration to lessen or completely stop the release of water from the Magat Dam, which has caused severe flooding in Cagayan and Isabela.
He is also requesting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to temporarily cut power supplies to avoid more people from being electrocuted. Mamba said five people, including one rescuer, were electrocuted, killing three of them.
Also read: At least 276 stranded individuals rescued in Cagayan, Isabela
Cagayan governor ask for help as ‘worst’ floods hit the province
Four more people have died due to landslides, and two more died of drowning, the governor said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 32 people have died, 15 of whom were from the Cagayan Valley region. Six were from Calabarzon, five were from the Bicol region, and six from the Cordilleras.
NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said the flooding in Cagayan is the result of “accumulated effects” of strong typhoons (Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses) in the past three weeks.
“The rainwater poured on the highlands and had gone down to the plains. The Magat Dam was also filled up, and its releases had added to the water supply,” Timbal told reporters in a text message.
Mamba said he already asked the provincial council to declare a state of calamity in Cagayan to allow the local government to tap its quick response funds and impose price controls on basic commodities.