Cagayan Valley sustains minimal damage from Typhoon Dodong

CAGAYAN, Philippines – Typhoon Dodong (international name: Noul) brought minimal damage on Cagayan Valley, where it made a landfall, the regional disaster management council said on Monday, May 11.

Residents, who stayed overnight in evacuation centers, started returning to their houses along the coastal villages of Santa Ana early morning of Monday, said Norma Talosig of the Regional Office of the Civil Defense-Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (OCD-RDRRMC). (READ: Cagayan towns evacuate residents ahead of Dodong)

However, Typhoon Dodong tore off big branches of trees and destroyed electric wires in 5 coastal towns in Cagayan. Some houses made of light materials in Palawig village in Santa Ana also sustained damage. 

Electricity restored

By past 4 pm Monday, supply of electricity was restored in affected towns.

“Although the typhoon brought minimal damage, it will still take time to pick up pieces,” Talosig said.

She said no great amount of damage in agriculture was expected because most crops had been harvested before the typhoon came.

Meanwhile, two casualties were reported in the town of Aparri, the municipal police said. (READ: Father and son electrocuted to death in Cagayan)

A father and son were electrocuted on Sunday morning, May 10, while repairing their roof in preparation for the wrath of Dodong.

“He and his son were repairing when the power of supply was brought back (power of supply was previously cut), electrocuting them both,” Aparri police chief Mina Domingo said in a phone interview. 

But Talosig also said that it is not yet clear whether the casualties were disaster-related since Typhoon Dodong had not yet made its landfall when the accident happened. – Rappler.com