PAMPANGA, Philippines – A total of 96 villages across nine towns and one city in Pampanga province were affected by the heavy rain brought by the southwest monsoon intensified by Super Typhoon Carina on Wednesday, July 24, according to the latest report from the Pampanga provincial disaster risk reduction and management council (PDRRMC).
The areas affected include the towns of Apalit, Bacolor, Lubao, Macabebe, Masantol, Mexico, Minalin, Sasmuan, and Sto. Tomas and the city of San Fernando which experienced 1 to 3 feet flooding. Seventeen families comprising 77 individuals had been relocated to designated evacuation centers as of 3 p.m., based on the PDRRMC report.
Governor Dennis Pineda stressed the urgent need for aid distribution amid heavy rains. He said they have prioritized the distribution of relief goods in the coastal barangays in the towns of Santo Tomas and Minalin which have been severely affected.
“It is important that in this situation we, who are in office, are here so that we can distribute the relief aid immediately,” the governor said in Filipino during an interview uploaded by the Pampanga provincial information office.
“We’ve already been to Sto. Tomas town in a barangay that is affected. Now we have given aid to four coastal villages in the town of Minalin. By tomorrow, we will prioritize all coastal barangays because the people were unable to work for a few days already. So I just prioritized them, then we will follow the rest of the affected villages,” Pineda added.
The effects of the heavy rains have been compounded by infrastructure damage as the Bangkal bridge in Bacolor town collapsed. Other impassable roads reported on Wednesday were Cignacion road, 1st road in San Isidro Matua, and San Nicolas-Santo Niño in Masantol town, while Sunrise Village and San Matias Village in Santo Tomas were inaccessible to light vehicles as of writing.
Local government units continue with their relief and clearing operations. – Rappler.com
