The Philippine National Police (PNP) sent additional personnel and rescue equipment to Cagayan and Isabela amid the massive flooding that hit the two provinces and nearby areas due to typhoon ‘Ulysses’.
PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said the PNP leadership also ordered the deployment of at least four ambulances and health service personnel from Ilocos Regional Police, Cordillera Administrative regional police, Central Luzon regional police and the National Headquarters.
Usana said rescue boats and personnel of the Maritime Group were also deployed to the two provinces to assist in the search and rescue missions of residents who were trapped in their communities due to massive and deep flooding.
“They are expected to arrive late in the afternoon or in the evening,” said Usana.
All the personnel and equipment for rescue will be under the control of Brig. Gen. Crizaldo Nieves, the director of the Cagayan Valley regional police, or Police Regional Police Office 2.
“Our Chief PNP, General Debold Sinas, also directed all the personnel to assist the transportation of the evacuees and secure the evacuation centers,” said Usana.
Thousands of residents were trapped at the roofs of their houses due to massive flooding, photos of them were shared in the social media and were similar to the scenes of residents in Marikina and some towns of Rizal when ‘Ulysses’ pounded Metro Manila and the rest of Southern Tagalog region on Wednesday night to Thursday morning.
Pleas for help were posted in social media but rescue teams could not easily penetrate the flooded area due to bad weather condition and the extent of the massive flooding.