Flooding in Central Luzon worsens; .9 M persons affected

Disaster control authorities said that floods in Central Luzon have worsened due to continuous rains since Saturday last week, prompting the mass evacuation of affected residents to higher places, mostly in Pampanga.

The heavy rains, bought about by monsoon rains intensified by a typhoon, also threatened the postponement in the affected areas of the scheduled barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections tomorrow.

Florita Villar, regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), reported that floods continued to rise in 867 barangays in 82 towns and three cities in the region as of yesterday morning.

She said that during the last 24 hours, rain waters began to flow down from the mountains east of Central Luzon towards several low-lying areas in the region, particularly Bulacan and Pampanga.

At least 198,709 families or 993,545 persons have been affected by the rising waters. A total of 14 persons have died in the region since July 6 because of the floods.

Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya, the Central Luzon police director and chairman of the regional disaster coordinating council, said the number of flooded barangays in Pampanga rose to 208 in 18 out of the province’s 21 towns. The floods were noted to have risen from four to five feet deep in many areas.

Dozens of families in Barangay San Lorenzo, Mexico, Pampanga sought safety on their rooftops as a local dike collapsed, swelling the flooding here.

In Lubao, rescue teams transferred at least 30 patients to safer grounds after floodwaters engulfed the Lubao District Hospital.

Impassable roads

The Department of Public Works and Highways reported that some major highways and bridges remain not passable to all types of vehicles.

Still not passable to all types of vehicles are the Mancantian section of Angeles City, Porac (Pampanga) national road, the old national road from the City of San Fernando to Lubao via Bacolor in Pampanga, the Lupao section of the national highway in Nueva Ecija, the San Isidro bridge between Moncada and Camiling towns in Tarlac, the national road in Obando, Bulacan, the Friendship Bridge near Clark, many sections of provincial and national roads in Meycauayan (Bulacan), Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Mexico, Macabebe, San Simon, San Luis, Sasmuan and Lubao, all in Pampanga and the Ninoy Aquino Bridge in Tarlac City.

The Ninoy Aquino Bridge, which links Tarlac City to Pangasinan’s southwestern towns, was closed to all types of vehicles and pedestrians after heavy rains further swelled portions of the Tarlac River to above normal levels.

Tarlac City Engr. Jose Dungca said they were forced to close the bridge after its foundations started to shake.

Superintendent Tito Bayangos, Tarlac City police chief, said that traffic officials are now rerouting vehicles to the Agana Bridge in Barangay Carangian, which could be reached by motorists traveling between Metro Manila and Mangatarem, Pangasinan, through the Romulo blvd.. at the city’s western end.

In neighboring Gerona town, 67 families living near the Tarlac River were ordered evacuated Friday night by Mayor Harmes Sembrano.

Further north of the river, all modes of land transportation between Paniqui and Camiling towns were totally cut off after floodwaters finally submerged the Bongarabong Bridge.

Barangay elections suspension ordered

Meanwhile, The Commission on Elections approved yesterday the suspension of barangay elections tomorrow in the heavily flooded towns of Guagua, Sasmuan and Lubao, as well as in 12 barangays of San Fernando City because of the floods.

Lolet David of the provincial Comelec office, said the Comelec Commissioner Ralph Lantion, who is in charge of Central Luzon, approved the suspension following appeals of Gov. Lito Lapid and Vice Gov. Mikey Arroyo.

David said the Comelec is expected to decide today on whether to also suspend the barangay elections in the entire towns of San Luis, San Simon, Sto. Tomas,, Candaba, and four barangays in Mexico town.

No elections will be held tomorrow in 11 flooded barangays of San Fernando City.

Meanwhile, the Pangasinan provincial board confirmed Friday the declaration of a state of calamity in at least 14 flooded towns of the province.

Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, presiding officer of the provincial board, said more towns could be included with the release of waters from Binga and Ambuklao dams and the continuous rains.

The Pangasinan towns under a state of calamity are Lingayen, Urbiztondo, Sta. Barbara, Sison, San Manuel, Sta. Maria, San Fabian, San Carlos City, Dagupan City, Calasiao, Aguilar, Malasiqui, Bayambang and Bugallon. — With Eva de Leon, Cesar Ramirez