By Freddie G. Lazaro
Vigan City (21 August) -- At least one person was reportedly killed while one person still missing and thousands families from 14 towns and two cities were flooded and millions worth of agricultural crops, livestocks and infrastructures were damaged as Typhoon Karen hit the province in the last two days.
Classes of all pre-schools, elementary and secondary level in the province remained suspended while floodwaters are continuously subsiding.
As of 9:30 in the morning Thursday, the national highway along the Northern approach of the Banaoang Bridge in Barangay Banaoang, Bantay town, which was declared closed at 8:30 last Wednesday evening due to landslides, was already opened and passable to all type of vehicles.
At the same time, the Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO) had restored electricity in almost all the towns in the province, which experienced "black out" last Wednesday evening.
Superintendent Rey De Peralta, Duty Officer from the police provincial office, reported that a cadaver of a certain Jose Talia, a resident of Barangay Aragan, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, was recovered along the river of same town.
The missing victim was identified as Gladys Buis, 13, a resident of Barangay Bequi-Walin, Lidlidda, Ilocos Sur. The victim, which was reportedly tended their goats to the higher ground, was taken by strong river's water last Wednesday afternoon. The relatives of the victim are presently conducting search and rescue operations along the river.
Meanwhile, seven persons were rescued in Tagudin town by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) through the coordination of the local officials headed by Mayor Roque "Jun" Verzosa; and 8 others were also rescued by the Bantay town police station.
As of 10:00 in the morning of Thursday, initial reports from the Ilocos Sur's Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) showed that 82 barangays from 11 towns and one city of the province with 4,653 families involving 18,968 persons were flooded since Wednesday. Among these towns and city affected were Vigan City, Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Sto. Domingo, San Ildefonso, Santa, Sta. Maria, Caoayan, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Cruz and Santiago.
There were reports that all barangays of San Esteban town and some barangays of Bantay town, Tagudin and Candon City were flooded last Wednesday afternoon. Hundreds of families with thousands individuals were also flooded in these towns and city.
There were reports that two barangays in Santa town were isolated while hundreds families were evacuated in the safer places of the different towns.
Vigan City Mayor Eva Marie Singson - Medina is continuously leading the city disaster coordinating council for the conduct of relief operations to her victim- constituents.
Meanwhile, Ilocos Sur Governor Deogracias Victor "DV" B. Savellano is presently leading the distributions of relief goods to the typhoon victim starting in the different towns at the second district of province.
Acting Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer (PSWDO) Francis Dacanay told that his office is continuously monitoring the report on damages brought out by Typhoon Karen.
"We are still expecting other reports on damages from the other towns of Ilocos Sur," Dacanay said. (PIA Ilocos Sur)