Still reeling from monsoon floods, Pangasinan braces for Jenny

Residents of several villages in Pangasinan — still reeling from the floods brought by the Habagat or  Southwest Monsoon over the weekend — have begun bracing for the effects of Tropical Storm Jenny, which is expected to hit land Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

A 24 Oras report on Tuesday said rains during the weekend triggered waist-deep floods in a number of barangays in Calasiao town, including Talibaew. The downpour was a combined effect of the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat, and the approaching Jenny.

Residents, however, have grown used to the floods, which they don't see subsiding in in the next four weeks. "Walang magagawa sir kasi baha talaga eh," said one resident. "Walang magagawa talagang ganoon sanay na rin kami," said another.

The floods in these barangays happen when their neighboring Marusay or Sinucalan River swells as a result of rainwater rushing down form the Cordillera Mountains. Water level at the river have already reached the critical level of 7 feet.

"Sa kasaluluyang mayroon tayong mga binabahang brgy. Tapos magkaakroon ng matinding pag-ulan ayon sa pagasa. Tataaman ang Pangasinan at ang Cordillera. Dito ang tumbok ng tubig noon, pagkatapos ng dose oras," said Freddie Villacorta of the Calasiao Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

In Dagupan City, the high tide, apart from the rainwater coming from the mountains, has caused floods that were leg-deep, raising fears among residents of their children being hit by leptospirosis.  

As of 4 p.m., Jenny was spotted 290 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and a gustiness of up to 80 kph.

It is moving west-northwest at 35 kph. — MDM, GMA News