Pangasinan braces for more heavy rain

LINGAYEN -- Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. warned provincial officials of more intense and heavier rains Tuesday night and all day Wednesday that may also hit the provinces of Benguet and La Union.
Espino has directed all local government units to activate their local disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMC) to be ready for emergencies, and to undertake pre-emptive evacuation as necessary.

"Please be ready for flash floods, storm surges, and massive flooding especially from the Bued-Cayanga river, the Pantal-Sinocalan River, and the Agno River. Residents in coastal areas, hillsides, and riverbanks are urged to stay alert and go for safer grounds," the governor warned.
Espino convened Tuesday afternoon the provincial DRRMC to discuss further precautionary measures to lessen the impact of the floods.
"The rain water from Benguet will naturally go down to Pangasinan, ibig sabihin, doble ang tubig na dadaloy sa (it means that the amount of water will double when it cascades to) Pangasinan especially that coming from Mount Ampukao which will flow to the Bued-Cayanga river area covering San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag and Mangaldan," Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said.
At the foot of Binalonan town is the Sinucalan River area where the rain water coming from same mountain in Benguet will flow at the river in Binalonan, Asinagan, Urdaneta City, Sta. Barbara, Calasiao and Dagupan City, Baraan said.

He added that the water from the San Roque Dam flows down to the Agno River, which traverses several towns at the sixth, fifth, third and second districts of Pangasinan.
"If it rains harder tomorrow (Wednesday), we expect that there will be bigger water release also from the San Roque dam and that would aggravate the situation, Baraan added.
The provincial DRRMC was earlier mobilized to be prepared in all angles, quickly response, disseminate information regarding impending disasters, reach out Pangasinan residents needing rescue and relief and be preventive on the occurrences that this hazard may bring.
Also on standby are police stations as command posts and coordinating centers for the provincial and municipal DRRMCs.

"All mountainous areas in the province most especially in towns of Bugallon and Labrador are vulnerable for flashfloods that's why we have to alert the residents living in the area to prepare themselves or even evacuate in safer places," Provincial Police Director Mariano Luis Versoza noted.
As of Tuesday afternoon, nine villages of Calasiao were submerged in flood water. The affected villages as Talibalew, Lasip, San Vicente, Banaoang, Mabini St. Poblacion East and West, Sitio Pandayan in Gabon and Quesban.
Reports from Calasiao town noted that 55 families with 251 persons have been evacuated at Calasiao Aliguas Training Center in Poblacion West.
Meanwhile, as of 12 p.m. Tuesday, water level at the San Roque Dam was at 282.96 meter above sea level with two gates open at two meters. San Roque Power Corporation vice president Tom Valdez said the water inflow was at 310 cubic meter per second while the volume of water outflow was bigger at 554 cubic meter per second.