SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) - - Residents in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur were advised to remain vigilant due to the continuing occurrence of light to heavy rains caused by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Neneng.
Local PAGASA weather forecaster Engineer Cynthia O. Iglesia said light to heavy rains are imminent in the two provinces due to the southwesterly winds taken by STS Neneng while moving westward to the Philippine Sea.
As of 2:00 PM on Sunday, PAGASA reported that the center of STS “Neneng” was located at145 kilometers west of Calayan, Cagayan. “Neneng” is moving westward at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour.
The PAGASA hoisted Tropical Cyclone Weather Signal (TCWS) number 3 in the western portion of Babuyan Islands; TCWS Number 2 in the Batanes province, the northwestern portion of Cagayan, the northwestern portion of Apayao, and Ilocos Norte; and TCWS Number 1 in Kalinga, Abra, the northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur, and the rest of Apayao and Cagayan. STS Neneng is forecasted to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on October 17, 2022.
In a meeting of the Response Cluster of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Region 1, Geologist Ivy Graycochea of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 1 said that as of 2:00 AM on Sunday, a total of 1,123 barangays in Region 1 are identified to be susceptible to rain-induced flashfloods and landslides due to STS Neneng. These barangays are located in Ilocos Norte (609 barangays) and in Ilocos Sur (514 barangays).
She also reported that a landslide incident occurred on Sunday morning in a portion of the Manila North Road (MNR) in Sitio Banquero, Barangay Pancian, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Clearing operation to the affected road portion is ongoing.
Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte PDRRMC Officer Randy A. Nicolas reported about the increasing water level of all rivers in Ilocos Norte due to the continuous occurrence of light to heavy rains caused by STS Neneng. Initially, he said that rivers in Solsona, Vintar, Bacarra, Adams, and Laoag City have increasing water levels. The Tamdagan Bridge in Vintar town and the Adams spillway are not passable due to swelled river water.
Nicolas added that total power outages was reported in the towns of Dumalneg, Adams, Dingras, Carasi, and Burgos; and partial power outages occurred in Laoag City, Batac City, and San Nicolas. As of 11:00 AM on Sunday, the PDRRMC Ilocos Norte received a report of the pre-emptive evacuation of 7 families in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.
Moreover, DSWD Regional Field Office 1 Director Marie Angela S. Gopalan said that they had prepositioned family food packs (FFPs) and Non-Food Items (NFIs) in their warehouses located in the following LGUs: Burgos – 1,000 FFPs; Dingras – 1,000 FFPs and 205 NFIs; Batac City – 1,300 FFPs and 210 NFI; and Laoag City – 3,500 FFPs and 1,060 NFIs. (JCR/FG, PIA - 1)
