By Villamor Visaya Jr.
TUGUEGARAO CITY-More than 33,000 families would likely to be displaced as Typhoon Crising is expected to pummel Cagayan Valley provinces in the next days.
In a news briefing with government agency representatives and media partners including this correspondent on July 17 (Thursday), Social Welfare and Development regional director Lucia Alan said Cagayan is projected to be the most affected with 477,256 people or 31,651 families who will need 127,108 food packs.
Isabela has 9,593 people or 1,173 families likely to be displaced with 3,090 food packs needed, she added.
Nueva Vizcaya would also be at risk with 4,198 people or 336 families to be affected, needing 1,175 food packs, Alan said.
Landslide-prone areas have been cautioned as 693 barangays in 29 towns in Cagayan, 191 barangays in 16 towns, and 17 barangays in 4 towns in Nueva Vizcaya are being threatened by landslides and other mass movements.
The landslide susceptibility ranges from moderate, high to very high in the said areas, according to a presentation of Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Region 2 staffer Mara Aguisanda.
Interior and local government regional director Agnes De Leon has directed local government units to implement preparedness such as mobilizing resources for road access and clearance operations, restricting or banning tourism activities, warning small-scale miners to stay on safer grounds and stopping all mining activities.
A no-sailing policy is also being asked and to ensure that travel and small-scale fishing activities are “closely monitored and prohibited if gale warnings are issued.”
As this developed, villagers near coastal areas have been warned as at least 19 towns in Cagayan and Isabela provinces are under storm surge threats due to the expected rains and winds to be caused by Typhoon Crising.#
