9 dead in Cagayan due to Ulysses flooding, province under state of calamity

Nine people have died in Cagayan due to severe flooding following Typhoon Ulysses.

The province of Cagayan has been placed under a state of calamity due to the extensive flooding.

Over 83,000 people have been rescued, transferred, and assisted in Cagayan and Isabela.

Governor Manuel Mamba stated that the major problem in Cagayan is the denudation of forests and the heavy siltation of river beds, noting that the enormous volume of water was not expected.

The widespread flooding in Cagayan is not due to the release of water from Magat Dam but because of the swelling of the Cagayan River.

As of Saturday, over 43,838 families or 174,940 individuals were affected by the flooding, with many lacking food, electricity, and clean water.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) confirmed they were aware of the flooding situation, with spokesperson Mark Timbal attributing the delay in information to local COVID-19 restrictions.

Timbal stated that sufficient warnings were provided, including dissemination of emergency alerts to mobile devices and advice to local government units to utilize their communication network.