By: Jose Robert Inventor

The Cagayan Valley region bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Uwan’s wrath, with widespread flooding, storm surges, and landslides displacing thousands of residents.

Although the typhoon has exited toward the West Philippine Sea, large waves continued to batter the coast of Palanan, Isabela early on November 10.

Videos from residents showed flooded communities and damaged structures, including a cracked basketball court and a nearly collapsed building.

In Palanan, soldiers from the 95th Infantry Battalion conducted clearing operations to remove fallen trees, while similar efforts were carried out in Divilacan, where authorities worked together to clear blocked roads.

In Roxas, the Bureau of Fire Protection deployed rescue boats to transport stranded residents, while in Sto. Tomas, officials monitored the rising water levels of the San Roque River.

According to the Isabela PDRRMO, more than 15,000 families or around 47,000 individuals remained in evacuation centers.

Project Evaluation Officer Angelie Faye Andres said, “We expect the number of evacuees to continue rising. The entire provincial government remains on alert as river levels keep increasing in various parts of Isabela.”

In neighboring Cagayan province, flooding forced authorities to close the Tatenap Bridge in Piat due to the overflow of the Chico River.

Rescue teams in Barangay Sta. Barbara, Amulung, saved a 73-year-old bedridden patient trapped in floodwaters. The victim was safely transported to the hospital.

In Tuao, floodwaters reached waist to head level, submerging homes in Barangay Barancuag.

One family had to place a coffin on a table to protect it from the rising water.

In Alcala, toppled trees blocked major roads, prompting residents and Coast Guard personnel to clear the area together.

Relief goods were also distributed to 57 families in Sanchez Mira, while evacuees in Buguey began returning home as floodwaters subsided.

The Cagayan PDRRMO reported that 8,642 families, or about 24,000 individuals, were affected by the typhoon.

“We remind everyone to stay vigilant and avoid spreading misinformation, especially on social media,” the provincial office said.

In Nueva Vizcaya, strong winds damaged a solar panel farm in Bagabag and ripped off roofs of nearby houses.

In Kayapa, twin five-year-old children were killed after a landslide buried their home.

Their parents and an eight-year-old sibling were injured but survived.

According to Alvin Ayson, Information Officer of the Office of Civil Defense Region 2, “The children were rescued around 3:35 a.m. Unfortunately, both were declared dead while the parents and one child were hospitalized.”

The Office of Civil Defense reported that 14,000 families, or about 43,000 individuals, have been affected in the region as of 8 a.m.

Ayson said, “We expect these numbers to change and increase as reports continue to come in.”

Local governments have begun conducting rapid disaster and risk assessments to determine the full extent of the typhoon’s damage.