‘Marce’ pummels Cagayan

Hours before typhoon “Marce” made landfall, strong winds caused widespread damage across Cagayan, felling trees and damaging several establishments. Large trees blocked roads in various areas.

In Gonzaga, a municipality in the northeastern portion of Cagayan, the winds ripped the roofs off several houses. At least 300 families — or around 1,000 individuals — had evacuated prior to the typhoon’s landfall.

The storm’s powerful winds shattered the glass door of the municipal hall in Gonzaga.

In the nearby town of Santa Ana, the strong winds caused grocery store racks to collapse, damaging food items. A total of 919 families, or about 2,800 individuals, were evacuated.

Despite the dangerous situation, members of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Santa Ana continued evacuations, as residents called their stations requesting immediate rescue.

The Cagayan Provincial Information Office reported that four roads in Baggao were currently impassable to all types of vehicles. Other blocked roads included the Natallag Overflow Bridge in Penablanca, Casambalangan in Santa Ana, and the Iraga Bridge in Solana.

According to state weather bureau PAGASA, typhoon “Marce” made landfall in Santa Ana, with winds reaching up to 175 kilometers per hour and gusts up to 240 kph.

The latest bulletin tracked the typhoon near Santa Ana, moving slowly westward toward the Apayao-Ilocos Norte area.