(UPDATE) Heavy rains cause floods in 5 Isabela towns
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/04/2009 3:11 PM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
MANILA - More than 6,000 families in Isabela province have been evacuated to safer grounds after floods hit 5 towns in the province due to continuous heavy rains since Tuesday.
The towns affected were Ilagan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, San Mateo and delfin Albano
The continuous rains have caused the Pinacanauan River to overflow flooding 5 barangays of Ilagan.
Flood waters have reported to have reached waist deep in Barangay Fugu while 4 other barangays could no longer be reached by motor vehicles.
Some of the residents however still braved wading in the floodwaters to evacuate.
One resident said that the waters only rose Wednesday. The resident said however that the roads were no longer passable.
In Barangay Agassian, the floodwaters have reportedly reached more than man-deep and resident were already using bancas for transportation.
The affected barangays in Ilagan were identified as barangays Guinatan, Bagumbayan, Baculod, San Vicente, Sta Barbara, Aggsian, Alinguigan 1st, Alinguigan 2nd, Alinguigan 3rd, Batong Labang, Cadu, Fugu, Malalam, Sto Tomas, Cabisera 7, Sipay, Camunatan, Cabisera 4, Cabisera 14, Cabisera 16, Cabisera 10, Cabisera 22, San Ignacio and San Lorenzo.
Barnagay Nanaguan meanwhile was reported to have been turned into an island as it could not be reached by vehicles due to the floods. The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) said that 200 families in the village were safe however.
5,753 families in Ilagan town were reported to have evacuated to safer grounds.
In San Mariano town, 36 barangays were isolated due also to the overflowing of water from Onacanuan River.
Landslides also reportedly occurred in barangays Zone One and Santa Filomena.
During clearing operations conducted by public works officials, a vehicle of the government agency was swept into a ravine by a mud flow. The agency’s 4 employees fortunately were safe.
A road in the town which was covered by a landslide early Wednesday has already been cleared.
The river was also reported to have overflowed in Barangay Maluno Norte in Benito Soliven town affecting 30 families which have evacuated.
While in Barangay Sicat in San Mateo town, 400 families have evacuated due also to floods.
The houses of 400 families were also affected in barangays Calinaoan Sur, San Roque, Quibal, San Patricio and San Isidro in Delfin Albano town.
Meanwhile rescue units of the PDCC were reportedly placed on standby to assist those who would still be evacuating since the rains continue to pour in the province.
The PDCC was already preparing relief goods that would be distributed to the evacuees displaced by the floods.
Sagip Kapamilya of ABS-CBN Cagayan Valley meanwhile immediately launched its relief assistance program and was already going to Ilagan town where the most number of affected residents could be found to distribute relief goods and also to bring food.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Aurora province, Casiguran town has also been isolated by rising flood waters. From a report by Julius Camba and Harris Julio, ABS-CBN Cagayan Valley
Comments