Tuguegarao City has escalated to a red alert status as Super Typhoon Pepito, known internationally as Man-yi, wreaks havoc across parts of Luzon. The city’s mayor, Maila Rosario Ting-Que, issued a flood warning for the city effective Sunday night through Monday, urging all emergency units and the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils to be on high alert and ready for immediate deployment if necessary.
As of the latest bulletin at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Tuguegarao City is under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2, bracing for heavy to torrential rains as the typhoon moves from Quirino province towards the Ilocos Region and the western part of Northern Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has warned of potential flooding and landslides, particularly in areas marked on official hazard maps and in regions that have seen significant rainfall in recent days, including Tuguegarao and its surrounding areas.
By 6 p.m. on Sunday, the Cagayan River’s water level at the Buntun Bridge gauging station was measured at 4.6 meters, surpassing the alert level. Despite the rising waters, all roads and bridges in the city remain open and passable.
In addition to the threats faced by Tuguegarao, a storm surge warning has been issued for four provinces in the Ilocos Region due to Pepito. PAGASA forecasts that a storm surge could occur within the next 48 hours, with potential surges reaching up to 6 meters along the eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan province as the typhoon intensifies.