SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 November) – Power supply has yet to be restored in several villages in Dinagat Islands province and the islands of Siargao and Bucas Grande in Surigao del Norte, two days after super typhoon Yolanda made landfall in Guian, Eastern Samar early Friday morning.
Engr. Sergio C. Dagooc, the general manager of Dinagat Islands Electric Cooperative Inc., (DIELCO) said power supply was down in all seven towns when Yolanda struck this area on Friday.
Storm warning signal number 3 was raised over Dinagat province and Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte on Thursday but by Friday morning, the signal over Dinagat was raised to Signal number 4.
Power supply was restored Friday afternoon but only in the capital town of San Jose and on Saturday in the towns of Dinagat, Cagdianao, Loreto, Basilisa and Libjo.
But power supply has yet to be restored in Tubajon town because several roads are still not passable, making it difficult to bring in electric poles and other materials to the town, he said.
As of 10 a.m. Sunday, power has been restored in 53 out of 100 villages in Dinagat province.
“Repair and rehabilitation are ongoing. We aim to complete the total restoration on Tuesday,” said Dagooc.
Electric cooperatives near this province – the Surigao del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc.,= (SURSECO) and Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. (ANECO) were expected to arrive Sunday to help repair power lines in Dinagat.
Last year, the Mindanao association of electric cooperatives deployed trucks, equipment and repairmen, to the badly hit areas of Cateel, Baganga and Boston in Davao Oriental; and the typhoon-hit areas in the provinces of Compostela Valley, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.
Dagooc said they have yet to estimate the damage wrought by Yolanda.
In Siargao and Bucas Grande Island in Surigao del Norte, the Siargao Island Electric Cooperative Inc., (SIARELCO) on Sunday said power was restored in five towns as of 4 p.m. Friday — Dapa, Socorro, Del Carmen and General Luna.
Dagooc, who is also the general manager of SIARELCO told MindaNews Sunday that power was restored in the rest of the towns – in San Isidro, Pilar, Sta. Monica, Burgos and San Benito.
He said, of 134 villages in Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, only 27 villages are still without power supply.
Dagooc said they hope to restore power in these areas by Monday. (Roel Catoto / MindaNews)