Around 200 tourists, residents were stranded in Batanes after Typhoon Julian hit the province, with most of them stuck in Basco for more than a week.
According to Joseph Morong’s report in 24 Oras on Thursday, there are no departing commercial flights available in Batanes.
Jennifer Rivera, who returned to the country for a vacation, said that her flight was cancelled several times due to the inclement weather.
“Nakikita ko talaga na umiikot yung hangin, nililipad yung cogon sa bubong,” she said, adding that it was her first time to experience a Signal No. 4 typhoon.
(I saw the winds spiraling and the cogon from the rooftops flying around.)
Meanwhile, some residents expressed their desire to stay in other cities or provinces in the meantime as their businesses have been affected by the typhoon.
“Habang wala pa pong kasi kaming income muna, habang wala pa yung power pero eventually pagbalik po ng power, babalik din po kami dito,” said Eboy Villarta.
(While we don’t have an income yet and there’s no power available in the meantime, but we will return when the electricity is restored.)
To address the situation, the government has provided a C-130 Hercules transport plane to evacuate stranded tourists and residents from the storm-ravaged province. A total of 89 tourists and residents have managed to leave the province and will land in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte where they can book commercial flights from there, the report said.
Most of the stranded individuals left are locals whoare seeking other places to stay while the province recovers from the typhoon’s onslaught.
On the other hand, the Office of the Civil Defense said that it has improved the radio system in province.
“Dapat palakasin pa ‘yung telecommunications dito. Dahil madalas [ang] pagbsubok dito, hindi maka-contact. ‘Yung national government, Office of Civil Defense, pinalakas natin dito ‘yung radio system,” said OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno.
(There’s a need to improve the telecommunications here. Since residents usually experience problems when contacting people. The national government, through the Office of Civil Defense, improved the radio system here.)
Two persons reportedly died and eight individuals were injured, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Meanwhile, more than 300 houses were destroyed or severely damaged by the typhoon.
Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco said that the national government will provide the province with construction materials that include wood, and corrugated aluminum sheets.
“Nag-promise sya na bibigyan kami ng yero at yung DENR naman bibigyan kami ng around 70,000 board feet na kahoy na mangggaling sa Region 2,” said Governor Marilou Cayco.
(They promised to give us corrugated metal aluminum sheets and the DENR will also provide us with 70,000 board feet of wood from Region 2.) —Vince Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News
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