NDRRMC verifying Maymay casualty in Cagayan

MANILA, Philippines — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is validating information regarding a fatality in Cagayan due to Tropical Depression Maymay.

Pending confirmation, official reports as of yesterday indicated no casualties or injuries so far in provinces affected by the typhoon.

The NDRRMC said reported fatalities would have to be validated to determine if the death was typhoon-related.

Some 300 families or about 1,000 people were evacuated in the towns of Allacapan, Camalaniugan, Luec and Pacac in Cagayan due to flooding.

The NDRRMC said it has received reports of floods in Cagayan Valley, particularly in Gonzaga and Camalaniugan in Cagayan.

Roads in Kabugao and Madatag in Apayao in the Cordilleras were impassable to all types of vehicles.

Classes, especially in pre-school and elementary, were suspended as well as work in government in some areas in Cagayan.

Rueli Rapsing, chief of the Cagayan disaster risk reduction and management office, said people from Allacapan, Aparri, Gattaran, Pamplona and Sta. Teresita were displaced by floods spawned by Maymay.

In Isabela, operators of the Magat Dam informed residents of the possibility of opening one of the dam’s gates at 4 p.m. yesterday due to heavy downpour.

The gate opening was based on an advisory from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Maymay was expected to weaken into a low-pressure area last night, but would still bring heavy to at times intense rains over parts of Northern Luzon.

State weather forecasters said moderate to heavy to at times intense rains would be experienced in Apayao, Cagayan, Ifugao, northern portion of Isabela, Kalinga and Mountain Province.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rain will occur over the rest of Cagayan Valley and the Cordilleras.

Possible scattered to widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in geohazard areas.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Maymay was spotted 245 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph as it moved westward at 10 kph.

Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 was hoisted over the eastern portion of Isabela and Quirino and northern portions of Aurora.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country may experience isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderastorms. – Jun Elias, Romina Cabrera, Alexis Romero