The supply of electricity in at least four provinces in Northern Luzon was cutoff due to strong rains and howling winds brought by typhoon “Betty”, authorities bared Tuesday, May 30.
(Courtesy of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration)
In its latest situational report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that a total of 2,859 families or 11,264 individuals were affected by Betty in Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Antique, Negros Occidental, and Apayao.
Of the number, a total of 877 families or 3,483 were staying in evacuation centers.
The NDRRMC said it has monitored power interruption in Abra (municipalities of Sallapadan and Lagayan), Mountain Province (Barlig); and Ifugao (Banaue and Mayoyao).
Meanwhile, the municipality of Sabtang in Batanes was in a total blackout, according to Provincial Administrator and emergency Operations Center OIC Justinne Socito.
“Malakas na po ‘yung hangin dito, nasa moderate to strong winds po ‘yung nararamdaman naming hangin at saka moderate to heavy rainfall po ‘yung aming nararanasan ngayon. Matataas na rin po ‘yung alon sa aming probinsya (We are experiencing moderate to strong winds and moderate to heavy rainfall now. There are also big waves now in our province),” Socito said in a radio interview with dzMM.
Due to the impact of Betty, Socito said that power supply was cut off from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. since the tanker that was supposed to deliver fuel supply to the province got stranded in Pangasinan and could not cross the sea due to huge waves.
“Dito sa may main island ay mula 10 p.m. hanggang 6 a.m. ay tinatanggal po, wala pong kuryente. Bumabalik lamang po siya ng 6 a.m. hanggang alas diyes ng gabi (Here in main island, power supply is cut from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. It only returns from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.),” Socito said.
“Samantala sa isang isla po ‘yung munisipyo ng Sabtang, ang report po natin ngayon ay total blackout po sila ngayon doon (Meanwhile in the island municipality of Sabtang, we have a report that it was total blackout there),” he added.
In Cagayan, a warehouse by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) in Barangay Casambalangan, Sta. Ana collapsed due to strong rain and wind.
“Wala namang reported masyado na damage except ‘yung bodega dyan sa CEZA na nagcollapse, ‘yun po lang ang reported damage (There are no reported damages so far except for the CEZA warehouse that collapsed, that’s the only reported damage),” said Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba in a separate interview with dzMM.