More areas in Luzon placed under state of calamity due to rising floods

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, around 13,888 individuals have evacuated to temporary shelters as the southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical depression Josie continues to dump more rain in Luzon.

Several municipalities have been placed under a state of calamity due to torrential rains and severe flooding.

The city of Balanga in Bataan province declared a state of calamity on Sunday as floods continued to rise amid heavy monsoon rains.  Aside from Balanga, chest-deep floods were also reported in the adjacent town of Abucay.

The whole province of Cavite has also been placed under a state of calamity. According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office almost all coastal areas in the province are submerged in flood.

In Nueva Ecija’s catch basin town of Licab has also been placed under a state of calamity.

Meanwhile in Metro Manila, Marikina City has been placed under state of calamity as monsoon rains continued to threaten the city’s low-lying areas, particularly those living near the river.

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, the Marikina River’s water level had risen to 17.4 meters prompting the local government to sound “second alarm” and evacuate more than 3,000 individuals from low-lying areas.

Josie is the third tropical depression in a week that hit the Philippines, following Tropical Depressions Henry and Inday.

In Bugallon, Pangasinan, around 176 families evacuated to temporary shelters on Saturday. The affected families are from six villages in Bugallon municipality, wherein four villages are World Vision assisted areas.

The residents are now staying in barangay health centers, public schools and gymnasium. The livelihoods of the residents were also affected.

State of calamity has been declared in two cities and four municipalities in Pangasinan including Bugallon, Mangatarem, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Dagupan City, and San Carlos City due to flooding.

The Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office which is on red alert status since Saturday continues to conduct rescue operations and closely monitoring their locality.

Tropical Depression “Josie” entered the country as a weaker low-pressure area at dawn of Saturday, July 21, after severe Tropical Storm Inday brought rains that flooded many areas in Luzon, northern Philippines.

The state weather bureau PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will continue to bring monsoon rains over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Ilocos Region (including Pangasinan) and other areas in Luzon.

“Residents of these areas, especially those living near river channels, in low-lying and in mountainous areas are advised to take action against possible flooding and landslide, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and continue monitoring for updates,” PAGASA said.

World Vision has a development program in Pangasinan catering to at least 4,000 children.

World Vision has also provided Disaster Risk Reduction trainings and early warning devices such as public address system to the area.

World Vision staffs are monitoring the situation in the communities and in close coordination with the local government.

—World Vision/July 22, 2018



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