In our quest to alleviate human suffering and provide adequate assistance to the most vulnerable, volunteers and staff from Philippine Red Cross (PRC) are working round-the-clock to help families and communities affected and displaced by Typhoon Ramon in Northern Luzon.

Although the weather disturbance with international name Kalmaegi weakened into a low pressure area after making landfall in Santa Ana, Cagayan, it brought heavy rains causing rivers and tributaries to overflow.

“We at the Philippine Red Cross continue to gather reports from our chapters and assessment teams in Northern Luzon so we can immediately know the pressing needs of the affected population and send the assistance that each particular area badly needs,”said PRC Chairman Richard Gordon.

PRC deployed its army of volunteers including teams to respond, assess and send reports of damages to lifelines and infrastructure like blocked roads and flooded are as such as in Santa Ana, Cagayan were 7 barangays submerged in waist-level water.

Aside from flooded areas, there were reports of power supply interruption in the Municipalities of Gattaran, Lal-lo, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Buguey, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Sta. Praxedes, Sta. Teresita, Gonzaga and Sta. Ana.

PRC chapter in Kalingaalso reported power supply interruptions in the Municipalities of Luna, Sta. Marcela, Flora, Pudtol, Calanasan particularly in Barangays Sta. Felomina and Sta. Elena.

Communication lines were functional except for Calayan group of islands in Cagayan while the Ilagan-Divilacan Road in Isabela Province was impassable due to erosion.

PRC – Mt. Province Sub-Chapter provided sleeping kits and psychosocial first aid to six patients in Bontoc General Hospital after a footbridge collapsed in Sitio Futyang, Barangay Betwan Sadanga.

According to reports from the chapter, 11 individuals were affected by the said incident and were brought to Bontoc General Hospital, Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital and Barangay Betwan Sadanga Clinic.

PRC Cagayan Chapter distributed hot meals to evacuees in Barangay Quibal, in the Municipality of Peñablanca while volunteers and staff continue to assess the situation in Sta. Ana and Gonzaga.

In Apayao province, 3 pre-emptive evacuation centers were established, housing 13 families or 29 individuals.

PRC – Apayao Chapter also distributed hot meals and conducted child friendly space to 21 affected children and distributed hot meals to 186 individuals in Aurora Elementary school that serves as their evacuation center in Barangay Aurora in the municipality of Pudtol while 10 staff and volunteers were mobilized to assist and monitor the situation in Abra.

Meanwhile, PRC chapters are preparing for another storm with international name Fungwong that could hit Northern Luzon in the coming days.

The new weather disturbance locally named Sarah intensified into a tropical storm as it moved north-northwestward and threatened areas battered by Typhoon Ramon.