FIVE barangays in Upper Tanudan, Kalinga remain isolated after Super Typhoon Uwan exits

Tanudan, Kalinga – Five barangays in Upper Tanudan, Kalinga remain isolated following the destructive onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan on Sunday, November 9, which triggered landslides, flooded rice fields, damaged bridges, and swept away classrooms in the municipality.

According to Mayor Jaedicke Rhoss Dagadag, in an interview, the three barangays of Lubo—Upper, Lower, and Babbanoy—experienced massive flooding that destroyed buildings and forced residents to take shelter in their arangs, small rice granaries that serve as storage rooms for harvested rice.

The super typhoon also damaged the Mangkortan Bridge and the under-construction Gappu Bridge in Lubo, further isolating the community. The Dumanay Bridge, which connects the upper barangays of the town to the circumferential provincial road, became impassable after the river overflowed, damaging parts of the structure and causing landslides that blocked the roads. The inaccessibility of Lubo also led to the isolation of the nearby barangays of Dacalan and Gaang.

“Iti situation iti Tanudan ket madi iti rikna ta okay lang ditoy Lower Tanudan ta medyo okay pay, ngem diay Upper Tanudan ket talaga nga nagadu iti pinerdi na daytoy bagyo nga Uwan—karkaru schools, mano nga schools iti naperdi, rice paddies nga naala iti danum, bridges dagiay rangtay tayo nga pinerdi na—diay Dumanay, Mangkortan, tapos Gappu iti talaga nga haan nga mapagna iti lugan,” he said during an interview on November 10.

Following the devastation in the upper barangays of Tanudan, Mayor Dagadag personally sought assistance from the Kalinga Provincial Government on November 10, which was immediately granted by Governor James Edduba and Vice Governor Dave Odiem.

As of noon on November 11, Executive Assistant to the Mayor and Designated Information Officer reported that clearing operations are ongoing to reach the upper barangays for relief delivery.

“Ket anusan tayo nga taga Tanudan ta datayo lang ditoy Kalinga iti talaga nga winasak na daytoy bagyo nga Uwan. Ket siguro isu nga datayo iti tinamaan da—dayta met iti panunuten tayo nga agkararag tayo ken Apo Dios, ta isu siguro nga ammu na nga kaya tayo met lang. Aggigiddan tayo nga bumangon; dagiti naperdi ket isimpa tayo tapnu kasta ket agback to normal iti situation,” Mayor Dagadag told his constituents.