Bulacan continues to evacuate flood victims
CITY OF MALOLOS – Emergency rescue units were dispatched in low lying areas in Bulacan particularly in municipalities of Obando, Marilao and Cities of Meycauayan and San Jose Del Monte as hundreds of Bulakenyos were evacuated due to flood caused by heavy rains spawned by Typhoon Falcon.
Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado, who is strictly supervising the preparations and monitoring of the weather condition, said that Bulakenyos should stay alert and prepared in cases of any emergencies even though the province is not under a public storm warning signal.
According to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, almost 80 families from Barangays Bahay Pari, Malhacan, Caingin and Calvario in Meycauayan were forced to evacuate and brought to their respective barangay halls because of flood due to the overflowing of the heavily silted Marilao river.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Liz Mungcal also said that three fatalities were reported last Wednesday in Meycauayan City and were identified as Demetrio Velasco, 74, of Barangay Iba, pin downed by a concrete fence of collapsed Lapedema Factory and Irene Lumugho, 1, of Barangay Pantoc, who was also pinned to death by a fallen concrete fence of RLMU Trucking, while Aljohn Lapitag, 3, was drowned to death.
Different schools in Bulacan also suspended their classes in all levels both public and private due to the continuous monsoon rains brought by the typhoon.
Alvarado also said that the Provincial Government of Bulacan is now closely monitoring the rivers in the province as well as the water elevation in dams and are always ready for deployment of emergency rescue teams when the need arises.
Ironically, the heavy rains were not enough to replenish the water level at Angat dam which has remarkably dipped from the 169.46 meters as of 8:00 am last Wednesday to 169.94 meters as of 6:25 am yesterday, which is still way below its spilling level of 210 meters.
As of press time, the PDRRMO are regularly reading and receiving observations of rain from rain gauges and water level stations located in different areas in the province.
The local chief executives receive messages on gauge readings through their Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices for their information and decision making.
As of 11:00 am, today, Angat dam measures 170.44 meters, Ipo Dam water level is 100.65 meters while Bustos Dam is 17.44 meters.