While Typhoon Maring (international name: Kompasu) hardly hit Northern Luzon on October 10-12, the province of Ilocos Norte was luckily spared from serious damages and casualties.
Initial reports in damages showed that the Ilocos Norte-Apayao road had an estimated P170 million damage and the province’s agriculture sector, over Php 80 million.
The province’s devastation was just fractions compared to the P2.3 billion and P1.1 billion losses by Typhoons “Ompong” and “Ineng” in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The latest report showed that “Maring” left P46 million agriculture and infrastructure damages in Cagayan; P600 million losses and 13 casualties in Ilocos Sur ; and 88,000 affected residents in La Union.
It was noted that as “Maring” Signals 1 and 2 were flashed in Ilocos Norte, the PDRRMC quickly went on red alert taking full precautionary measures to preempt any worst eventuality.
The PDRRMC had constantly monitored flood-prone and landslide-prone areas, and storm surge-risk coastal towns.
It likewise prepositioned emergency equipment such as ambulances, dump trucks, and rubber boats, as well as readied relief goods, food packs, and medical supplies.
At the Provincial Capitol, Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc directed, through memos, all mayors to have alternative evacuation centers for calamity victims, (sites were far from COVID-19 isolation facilities).
As of October 14, the PDRRMC reported one fatality, one missing, and one injured, all related to the typhoon effect.” (PGIN-CMO)
