MANILA, Philippines—The damage left by started to unfold on Friday, Nov. 8 in northern Cagayan where residents said it was one of the most destructive storms to ever hit the province’s coastal area.
Marce, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday, Nov. 4, traversed northern Cagayan on Thursday, Nov. 8, and made landfall in the towns of Santa Ana at 3:40 p.m. and Sanchez-Mira at 9:00 p.m.
READ: Marce nears Cagayan, to make landfall within hours – Pagasa
The typhoon initially packed maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, but reached 175 kph winds and gustiness of 240 kph when it made landfall.
PRAY FOR CAGAYAN
Typhoon , which has intensified while getting closer to northeastern Cagayan, has intense winds, based on this video shared by Margarette Asuncion, a resident of Gonzaga.
— Kurt Adrian Dela Peña (@AdrianINQ)
Signal No. 4 was raised over Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Santa Teresita, Lal-lo, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Gattaran, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Lasam, and Babuyan Islands at 5:00 p.m.
RELATED STORY: Fishers in Aparri, Cagayan hit hard by Typhoon Marce
The northern portions of Apayao and Ilocos Norte were likewise placed on Signal No. 4.
READ: Signal No. 4 in 3 Northern Luzon areas as Typhoon Marce strengthen
The state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) had warned of life threatening conditions in the northern parts of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte at 2:00 a.m. as Marce moved westward.
A LONG NIGHT FOR CAGAYANOS
WATCH: Typhoon ’s intense winds took out a roof in Brgy. Langanan in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, based on this video by Noemi Donalvo, which was shared on Facebook by PIA-Cagayan Valley.
— Kurt Adrian Dela Peña (@AdrianINQ)
In 2016, Cagayan was hit by Typhoon Lawin (international name: Haima), which carried maximum sustained winds of 225 kph and gustiness of up to 315 kph, leaving four fatalities in the province.
In 2018, Typhoon Ompong (international name: Mangkhut) hit Cagayan, too, with maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 255 kph. Ten people died in the region.
- Blown off roofs, establishments in Aparri, Sanchez-Mira, and Ballesteros
- Damaged houses, establishments in Ballesteros, Aparri, Claveria, and Santa Ana
- Toppled trees, electric posts in Santa Ana, Aparri, Gonzaga
As of 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Signal No. 3 has already been lifted as Marce moved away from Ilocos Region. Signal Nos. 2 and 1 are still in place, however, in some areas in northern Luzon.