Pangasinan: A total of 4,306 families, or 14,011 individuals, in Pangasinan have evacuated due to flooding, and one death was recorded early Tuesday amid heavy rains brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon or "habagat" and recent tropical cyclones, according to the Pangasinan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
According to Philippines News Agency, Ron Maegan Equila, team leader of the PDRRMO emergency operations center, reported that 3,488 families (11,560 individuals) are currently in evacuation centers, while 386 families (1,061 individuals) are staying with relatives or friends. Additionally, 432 families (1,390 individuals) are from Dagupan City. The evacuees are from 18 of the province's 48 municipalities and cities.
A 26-year-old resident of Barangay Poblacion, Labrador, has been confirmed as the first casualty in the province due to the ongoing weather disturbance. Equila stated that the victim died following a landslide in the mountainous part of Labrador on August 29. The victim was with co-workers when the land erosion occurred. Although his co-workers survived with minor injuries and attempted to rescue him, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Currently, 293 barangays in 17 municipalities and three cities are experiencing flooding. Equila noted that the region is on red alert status as of 8 a.m. Tuesday. Water Search and Rescue teams are assisting with relief operations, while Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) teams are deployed to assess the urgent needs of evacuees and affected residents.
Flooding has rendered 32 barangay roads impassable. Additionally, four national roads in Mabini, Calasiao, and Dagupan City, as well as six provincial roads in Mabini, Lingayen, and Calasiao, are inaccessible to light vehicles. The partial cost of damage to agriculture since August 2 has reached PHP649.2 million, with PHP2.1 million to livestock and PHP232.5 million to infrastructure.
The provincial government has recorded 17 completely destroyed houses and 356 partially damaged houses. Pangasinan has been under a state of calamity since August 31.
