With communications still out in the northern towns hours after super typhoon “Pepito” made landfall, Capitol officials have yet to determine the full extent of damage wrought by the storm which lashed the island with heavy rain and wind gusts reaching up to 325 kilometers per hour last Saturday night.
Forecast to make landfall between Baras and Gigmoto in the evening of Nov. 16, 2024, the powerful typhoon’s direction slightly shifted to the northwest sometime in the afternoon and grazed the northeastern coast of the island starting at 5 PM.
The edge of its 27-kilometer eyewall scoured the coastlines of Baras, Gigmoto and Viga on a northwesterly track before the typhoon shifted west northwest and made landfall in Panganiban town near Panay island.
It then thrashed Bagamanoc town before exiting Pandan the following early morning, leaving damaged homes and public infrastructure such as schools and multi-purpose buildings due to its ferocious winds and storm surge.
As of Sunday evening, authorities have yet to confirm whether there were fatalities and/or injuries during the super typhoon’s passage.
Local government units, assisted by police personnel, implemented forced evacuation particularly along coastal areas after PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signal No. 5 on the island province.
The provincial capitol, LGU evacuation centers, schools, churches and sturdy neighboring houses served as shelter for the evacuees who were provided with food and other assistance during the night.
As soon as the winds weakened to a safe level, personnel of various Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices, the Philippine Red Cross Catanduanes Chapter, police stations, Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast Guard began fanning around their respective areas to clear debris from main thoroughfares, respond to request for assistance, deliver relief packs or conduct Rapid Damage And Needs Assessment (RDANA).
An initial situation report issued by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office as of Nov. 17 showed that the super howler affected a total of 24,385 families consisting of 83,503 individuals in 249 barangays.
A total of 2,378 families or 8,365 persons sheltered in designated evacuation centers while another 8,228 families or 28,225 persons kept themselves safe inside their homes or nearby houses.
Local authorities have already served food assistance to 10,406 families consisting of 36,590 individuals as of Sunday.
The DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office has yet to report on the status of national roads and bridges, although Pandan Mayor Raul Tabirara stated on social media that the Virac-Pandan highway is open to vehicular traffic.
On the other hand, the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO) has already begun to inspect its distribution lines, with the restoration of the supply of electricity to take some time due to fallen power posts particularly in the towns ravaged by “Pepito.”
It shut down power in the island grid at 2:10 PM of Nov. 16 to allow Sunwest Water & Electricity Co. (SUWECO) and the National Power Corporation (NPC) enough time to safeguard their power plants and substations.
An initial report by General Manager Francis Gianan stated that so far, its distribution lines suffered 36 broken, damaged or leaning poles in the towns of Pandan, Virac, San Andres and San Miguel, with reports from other towns yet to be sent due to weak telecommunications signals.
It is also conducting inspection and clearing of its primary lines in the whole coverage area, with only one feeder so far (Virac’s F5A) ready for energization.