Pangasinan on ‘red alert’ status due to floods
By Hilda Austria
The Office of the Civil Defense placed Pangasinan on ‘red alert’ on Saturday as eight towns and one city in the province are critical due to floods.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in Pangasinan is closely monitoring the towns of Calasiao, Sta. Barbara, San Fabian, Mangatarem, Mabini, Aguilar, Labrador, Bugallon and the city of Dagupan, said Ron Castillo research and planning office of PDRRMO-Pangasinan in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Castillo said Dagupan City has already declared a state of calamity, while Calasiao town might also follow.
He said Marusay River and Sinocalan River have already overflowed causing flooding in the identified critical areas.
He added that 27 families in Dagupan City have temporarily evacuated their homes; 84 families in Calasiao; 88 families in Sta. Barbara; 44 families in Malasiqui; and 13 in Mangatarem.
Castillo noted that national roads in Aguilar to Bugallon, Urdaneta to Sta. Barbara, Sta. Barbara to Calasiao, Calasiao to Dagupan City are not passable to light vehicles, while the Camiling to Bayambang national road is not passable to all types of vehicles.
“There was leakage from a portion of the dike in Barangay Alibago. Due to strong water current from the swollen Sinocalan River, it created a three to five meters line hole in the dike, and we cannot yet do anything because the water current is still strong,” said Raymundo Santos, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer of Sta. Barbara. (PNA)
