Flood death toll in North reaches 9

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – At least 200 villages in Cagayan and Isabela are still flooded due to nearly weeklong rains, which also left nine people dead and more than 60,000 families affected in the two provinces and another fatality in Kalinga.

Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy III said floodwaters have yet to subside in 117 villages in at least 12 towns, whose residents are still reeling from the devastation caused by super typhoon “Juan.”

Isabela has been under a state of calamity since Oct. 19 when Juan battered the region and the rest of northern and central Luzon, leaving the province with P3.5 billion in crop losses and infrastructure damage.

Ilagan and Tuguegarao City, capital of Cagayan, were the worst flood-hit areas in the region, with more than 120 barangays still flooded yesterday.

Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio had declared a non-working holiday province-wide until yesterday, while classes in all levels remained suspended.

In northern Aurora, the towns of Dinalungan, Casiguran and Dilasag were still cut off due to landslides. – With Mike Frialde, Jaime Laude, Manny Galvez, Helen Flores and Evelyn Macairan