3 people feared dead in Isabela province floods
11/05/2009 | 09:39 AM
Three missing people in Isabela are feared dead in the wake of floods caused by three days of heavy rains in the province, the local police chief said Thursday.
Senior Superintendent Jimmy Rivera said the three - two from Santa Maria town and one from Ilagan town - were feared to have drowned.
"We have three missing presumed to have drowned Wednesday. One is in Ilagan and two in Santa Maria," Rivera said in an interview on dzXL radio.
In Casiguran town in Aurora province, meanwhile, a five-year-old boy was reported missing.
A report by dzBB radio's Ronald Leander identified the boy as Enrique Caiclian.
The report also said Calanguasan village in Casiguran remained flooded, while families evacuated from other flooded villages have started returning to their homes.
In Isabela, Rivera said, low-lying areas were badly hit by floods due to three days of continuous heavy rains, though he said the rains had stopped Thursday.
He also said there were landslides in San Mariano and Benito Soliven towns but there were no reported casualties.
A pickup of the Department of Public Works and Highways fell into a 30-foot ravine while conducting rescue and clearing operations in Sta. Felomina village in Santa Maria. No casualty was reported.
Rivera said some 1,700 families or 32,700 people were displaced because of the floods.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said in its 6 a.m. Thursday report that at least 6,656 families from 31 villages in Ilagan, Benito Soliven, San Mateo and Delfin Albano towns in Isabela were evacuated.
A total of 24 families or 5,753 people were evacuated to the Carbonel Funeral Homes and Isabela National High School.
Impassable bridges, roads
In Cagayan, the Tawi Overflow Bridge in Peñablanca, Pinacanauan Bridge in Tuguegarao City and Bagunut and Abusag overflow bridges in Baggao were impassable.
Also impassable were:
* Cansan Overflow Bridge in Cabagan; Pilig, Abajao and Pilig Alto villages
* Minanga Bridge in San Mariano connecting Poblacion
* Alicaocao Bridge in Cauayan City
* Diator Overflow Bridge in Angandanan connecting San Guillermo
* Sitio Pugo and Maluno Norte in Benito Soliven near Ilagan boundary
* Cabisera 4 village in Ilagan
Floods
At least 18 villages in Casiguran and Dilasag towns in Aurora were flooded, with waters going up to neck-deep levels.
The NDCC said 166 families or 795 people were brought to four evacuation centers.
It also said the Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road in Cabangan River in Villa Aurora village in Maria Aurora town was impassable due to floods.
Dams
Angat Dam released water due to large inflows of water, opening its spillway gates at 11 p.m. Wednesday to allow the inflow to pass through the spillway.
The NDCC said that as of 4 a.m. Thursday, one gate was open.
"Residents near the river particularly in the municipalities of Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliwag, Pulilan and Hagonoy are advised to take all precautionary measures," it said. - GMANews.TV
Senior Superintendent Jimmy Rivera said the three - two from Santa Maria town and one from Ilagan town - were feared to have drowned.
"We have three missing presumed to have drowned Wednesday. One is in Ilagan and two in Santa Maria," Rivera said in an interview on dzXL radio.
In Casiguran town in Aurora province, meanwhile, a five-year-old boy was reported missing.
A report by dzBB radio's Ronald Leander identified the boy as Enrique Caiclian.
The report also said Calanguasan village in Casiguran remained flooded, while families evacuated from other flooded villages have started returning to their homes.
In Isabela, Rivera said, low-lying areas were badly hit by floods due to three days of continuous heavy rains, though he said the rains had stopped Thursday.
He also said there were landslides in San Mariano and Benito Soliven towns but there were no reported casualties.
A pickup of the Department of Public Works and Highways fell into a 30-foot ravine while conducting rescue and clearing operations in Sta. Felomina village in Santa Maria. No casualty was reported.
Rivera said some 1,700 families or 32,700 people were displaced because of the floods.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said in its 6 a.m. Thursday report that at least 6,656 families from 31 villages in Ilagan, Benito Soliven, San Mateo and Delfin Albano towns in Isabela were evacuated.
A total of 24 families or 5,753 people were evacuated to the Carbonel Funeral Homes and Isabela National High School.
Impassable bridges, roads
In Cagayan, the Tawi Overflow Bridge in Peñablanca, Pinacanauan Bridge in Tuguegarao City and Bagunut and Abusag overflow bridges in Baggao were impassable.
Also impassable were:
* Cansan Overflow Bridge in Cabagan; Pilig, Abajao and Pilig Alto villages
* Minanga Bridge in San Mariano connecting Poblacion
* Alicaocao Bridge in Cauayan City
* Diator Overflow Bridge in Angandanan connecting San Guillermo
* Sitio Pugo and Maluno Norte in Benito Soliven near Ilagan boundary
* Cabisera 4 village in Ilagan
Floods
At least 18 villages in Casiguran and Dilasag towns in Aurora were flooded, with waters going up to neck-deep levels.
The NDCC said 166 families or 795 people were brought to four evacuation centers.
It also said the Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road in Cabangan River in Villa Aurora village in Maria Aurora town was impassable due to floods.
Dams
Angat Dam released water due to large inflows of water, opening its spillway gates at 11 p.m. Wednesday to allow the inflow to pass through the spillway.
The NDCC said that as of 4 a.m. Thursday, one gate was open.
"Residents near the river particularly in the municipalities of Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliwag, Pulilan and Hagonoy are advised to take all precautionary measures," it said. - GMANews.TV
