TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Typhoon Marce, known internationally as Yinxing, has forced the pre-emptive evacuation of nearly 10,100 individuals across northern Luzon as the powerful storm pummels the region, officials said Thursday.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region II reported that 3,469 families, or 10,088 people, have been moved to evacuation centers since Wednesday across the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, and Isabela.
“Various government line agencies are now monitoring the evacuees to provide for their needs while in evacuation centers,” said DSWD Regional Director Lucia Alan in a media briefing.
So far, the DSWD has distributed PHP532,460 (around $9,300) worth of food and non-food relief items to supplement local government aid efforts. The agency said it has PHP139 million ($2.4 million) in available resources, including PHP3 million ($52,500) in standby funds for emergency purchases.
“We have 84,000 family food packs worth PHP58 million ($1 million) ready for augmentation. Non-food items composed of sleeping kits, hygiene kits and tents amounting to PHP78 million ($1.4 million) are also available,” Alan added.
The state weather bureau, PAGASA, said that as of 8 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Typhoon Marce was estimated to be over the coastal waters of Aparri, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (109 mph) near the center and gusts up to 240 km/h (149 mph).
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, the second-highest level, has been raised over the northern parts of Cagayan province, the northern portion of Apayao, and the northern section of Ilocos Norte.
“Typhoon Marce will move generally westward, emerge over Aparri Bay, and possibly make another landfall along the coast of northwestern mainland Cagayan tonight. Marce will emerge over the West Philippines tomorrow (8 November) early morning,” PAGASA said in its bulletin.
Several municipalities, including Aparri, Pamplona, and Camalaniugan, have already requested family food pack assistance from the DSWD due to the pre-emptive evacuation efforts.
With Typhoon Marce expected to make another landfall, the DSWD and local governments remain on high alert to provide aid and support to affected communities in the coming days.
