MANILA, Philippines – The Cagayan Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) said Thursday around 5,578 of the 7,332 residents from 19 different towns have been successfully evacuated since Tuesday.

The evacuees were from the towns of Sta. Ana, Gonzaga, Sta, Teresita, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Lallo, Claveria, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Sanchez Mira, Sta. Praxedes, Pamplona, Baggao, Gattaran, Buguey, Peñablanca, Lasam, Rizal, and Solana.

According to the CDRRMO, evacuees are from 2, 824 families affected by typhoon Ramon.

In addition, two transmission power lines of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) were reportedly destroyed causing widespread brownout in affected towns except Solano and Peñablanca.

According to the NGCP, it also lost power in neighboring Flora, Sta. Marcela, Luna, and Pudlot in Apayao.

Cagayan Police Director Colonel Ariel Quilang said Tapel, Gonzaga, and Visitacion, Marede, Casagan, Dungeg, Sta. Sta. Clara, and Batu remain flooded causing difficulty of hauling residents to evacuation centers.

Due to high flooding, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba suspended classes at all levels throughout the province while announcing the same suspensions in neighboring Tabuk City, Kalinga, and Paracelis, Mountain Province in the wake of heavy rains, floods, and possible landslides. (Cate Pallarco/IAMIGO/CNS)