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Parts of Bulacan still under water, state of calamity declared


While Metro Manila recovers and cleans up after Typhoon “Pedring," other parts of Luzon are still submerged in floodwaters. Wednesday evening, a state of calamity was declared in Calumpit, Bulacan where 11 barangays remain flooded. Disaster response officials confirmed the deaths of nine persons from different barangays while damage to crops was placed at around P800,000. According to a report on GMA News’ “24 Oras," the incessant rains of Pedring caused the floods.
In the report, Calumpit Mayor James de Jesus appealed to officials of Angat dam to give the local government a voice in their decisions. “Dapat ang governor at kaming mga punong bayan, merong kaming say kung paano at kailan irerelease yung tubig sa dam," he said. GMA News reporter Steve Dailisan said in the report that aside from Calumpit, the towns of San Miguel, Obando, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Malolos, and Hagonoy were flooded. “Ondoy"-like deluge In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Hagonoy Mayor Angel Cruz Jr. said that roughly 80 percent of the town is flooded and they expect more flooding by Thursday morning. The mayor explained that the town’s proximity to the Pampanga River and Manila Bay, as well as discharges from Ipo and Angat dams were factors in the flooding, which Cruz said are “Ondoy"-like. Cruz said roads in the town were still passable as of Wednesday. Angat dam Wednesday morning, Manila Water reported levels at Angat Dam were at 212.28 meters, above the normal level of 185.65 meters.
By Wednesday evening, flooding in the town worsened, although the mayor clarified that is was “not a total flood." In an earlier interview with GMA News TV's "News To Go," Cruz said flood waters were thigh-deep at worst. Two years ago, Typhoon Ondoy caused knee-high floods at the highest points of the town, while lower parts of town fared worse. In San Miguel, the biggest town in Bulacan, flooding on Wednesday surpassed “Ondoy" levels when part of a nearby irrigation dam gave in at the height of Typhoon “Pedring," according to a report on GMA News TV.
The damaged part of Bulo dam was not yet repaired as of Wednesday noon. San Miguel residents said floodwaters were high enough to submerge houses. The local government has yet to issue a report on casualties. — BC/ELR, GMA News

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