Tuguegarao floodwaters slowly going down, relief ops continue —Gov. Mamba

The floodwaters in Tuguegarao City resulting from heavy rains from Typhoon Ulysses have started slowly going down, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said on Sunday.

"Last night humupa po naman about one meter, pero baha pa rin po," Mamba said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"We're still monitoring 'yung pagbaba nitong araw na ito," he added.

Mamba said relief operations are ongoing not just in Tuguegarao but in other Cagayan towns affected by the massive flooding.

"Continuous pa rin ang relief operations natin. Underwater pa rin 'yung maraming bahay sa Tuguegarao and of course the other towns along Cagayan River," he said.

'Worst flood'

Mamba said this flood is the worst the province has experienced since 1975.

"It is the worst flood na alam ko since 1975," he said, citing longtime residents' observation.

"Pati highways, national highway underwater. You have Sierra Madre mountains on one side, Cordillera Mountains on the other side. Tubig po lahat 'yan. May patse-patse lang makikita kang kabahayan," Mamba said.

"We have 28 towns and one city. Twenty-four towns po ang apektado. Two hundred sixteen barangays po along the Cagayan River," he said.

Buntun Bridge which connects Tuguegarao to Solana over the Cagayan River barely escaped damage from the flood. 

"Muntik po. Kung meron po lang mga uprooted trees, natumba 'yon. 'Yon ang kinatatakutan ko, 'pag nagka-typhoon at may uprooted trees na sasama, 'yan po ang sisira sa Buntun Bridge," Mamba said.

"Before San Juanico, that was the longest bridge in the Philippines," the governor added.

The release of water from Magat Dam was identified as among the causes of flooding in Isabela and Cagayan following the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.

Casualties

Mamba said as per their record, nine died in the flooding: four died after they were buried by a landslide, three electrocuted, and two drowned.

One resident was still missing, and one was injured. Those who had minor lacerations were already discharged from the hospital.

Gov. Mamba: May isang missing kami, at may isang nasa ospital. Mayroong may mga minor lacerations. https://t.co/Jl7zdrja0g

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) November 14, 2020

Electric lines

Mamba said the rescuers had difficulty conducting their operation since the power lines of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines were not shut off.

"'Yung linya ng kuryente halos nakasayad na sa tubig. Kahit NGCP line, ganu'n din po," he said.

Mamba said the Cagayan Electric Cooperative turned off their power lines, "pero 'yung National Grid po ang naging problema."

Rescue teams

The governor said military, police and other teams sent by other local government units are already in the province to help in the rescue and relief operations.

"Marami po... Nag-e-airlift kami ng relief goods sa mga areas na hindi mapuntahan," Mamba said.

"Last night, nandito din po si Chief PNP sa amin and all the Army generals. Marami po ngayon," he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday gave assurance the government will deploy a sufficient number of troops to assist residents in Isabela and Cagayan. —KG, GMA News