Pangasinan: A total of 788 families, or 2,462 individuals, in Pangasinan province were evacuated from their flooded residences early Wednesday, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported.
According to Philippines News Agency, the evacuees were from the municipalities of Bugallon, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, Urbiztondo, Calasiao, Mangatarem, and Bani, as well as Dagupan City, PDRRMO emergency operation center team leader, Maegan Equila, said in a phone interview.
Equila stated, "Rescue is ongoing in some of the areas, hence the number of evacuees may still increase." A red alert status was raised in the province as of 8 a.m. Wednesday.
A total of 116 villages out of the 1,364 villages in the province are inundated, with the highest floodwater level recorded in Barangay Talibaew, Calasiao at 5 feet. Equila mentioned that 132,397 families, consisting of 428,201 individuals, in Pangasinan have been affected by the flooding caused by the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Crising (international name Wipha) last week and the southwest monsoon.
She further noted that there are still no confirmed disaster-related casualties, but two drowning incidents in Binmaley and Sta. Barbara were being verified. Equila urged residents to remain vigilant as water from the upland areas is continuously flowing downstream to the river systems, and a new weather disturbance could bring more heavy rainfall.
The weather bureau, in its 11 a.m. bulletin, announced that the low-pressure area west of the Babuyan Islands has developed into Tropical Depression Emong, while 'Dante,' located east of Extreme Northern Luzon, has intensified into a tropical storm and is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon.
As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the waters of the Marusay River in Calasiao town, Balingcaguing River in Mabini town, Agno/Ba±aga River in Bugallon town, and Pantal River in Dagupan City are above critical level, while the Bued/Cayanga River in San Fabian town is above normal level and the Sinucalan River in Sta. Barbara is at critical level.
Additionally, several roads, mostly in the villages of Alaminos City, and the municipalities of San Nicolas, Mangatarem, Calasiao, Pozorrubio, Sta. Barbara, Bautista, Balungao, Labrador, and Urbiztondo are impassable due to flooding.
