By Aaron Recuenco
Two people died as tropical storm “Falcon” dumped heavy rains that triggered flooding in Cagayan Valley region and nearby provinces.
(MDRRMO LASAM / TFLC LAL-LO / CAGAYAN PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE / MANILA BULLETIN)
Atanacio Macalan, head of the Cagayan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said both victims died of drowning.
Macalan said one of the victims – a 48-year-old male –drowned while crossing the Dummum River in Gattaran town on Tuesday. The other victim – a 42-year-old female – drowned at the Abulug River in Abulug town on Wednesday.
Falcon made landfall in Gattaran town early Wednesday morning and dumped heavy rains that caused the river systems in Cagayan and nearby provinces to swell.
While the path is in northern part of Luzon, the weather disturbance also resulted in cancellation of classes as far as Metro Manila.
Based on the data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), at least 81 families or 391 people were affected by Falcon in 13 barangays in Cagayan Valley Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Some of them sought refuge in evacuation centers while some opted to remain in their houses.