Kalinga under state of calamity
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -The Provincial Board chaired by Vice Gov. James Edduba declared state of calamity in the entire province of Kalinga in the aftermath of typhoon ‘Ompong’.
‘Ompong’ pummeled Kalinga for almost 24 hours from evening of Sept. 14 until afternoon of Sept. 15 . With storm signal no. 4, the second highest tropical cyclone signal in the country, raised in Kalinga leaving one person dead, James Bitao, in Pasil municipality, and millions-worth of damages to agricultural crops and infrastructures.
Initial reports from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) showed estimated cost of damages to agricultural crops reached P1.5 billion with damages to corn posted at P672.6M, palay at P352.9M and high value commercial crops at P29.5M.
Damages to infrastructure was placed at P279M.
Seriously hit are Tabuk City with estimated damages of P581.9M, Rizal –
P221.29M, Pinukpuk – P170.5M, Tanudan – P71M, Pasil – P1.7M, Tinglayan – P1.3M and Lubuagan – P.83M.
On road situation, report from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Tabuk-Bontoc, Tabuk-Abra, TabukTanudan and Pinukpuk-Balbalan are closed while clearing operations are ongoing.
Seventeen houses were totally damaged while 201 houses were partially destroyed in various parts of the province.
As of Sept. 16, about 2,705 families or more than 10,000 individuals were brought back to their homes from different evacuation centers.
Gov. Jocel Baac, PDRRMC Chair, said proper protocol in the disaster response operation was observed well otherwise more casualties could have been suffered especially when water at the Chico River had exceeded the 5meter critical level at the height of Ompong.
The PDRRMC continues with the relief operation in at least 76 barangays affected in the province. No advisory is released yet when power would be restored in the province.