Bulacan, Pampanga brace for more flooding due to Habagat rains, high tide

The provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga are bracing for more flooding on Saturday as the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and high tide threaten to increase the water level in tributaries and already flooded areas.

In Bulacan, six towns remain flooded, including Hagonoy, Calumpit, Balagtas, and Paombong, according to Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Retired Colonel Manuel Lukban Jr.

"Naisalagay na tayo sa red (rainfall) warning dahil inaasahan na naman natin itong mga 8-10 (a.m.) lalakas na naman ang pag-ulan sa ilang bahagi ng ating lalawigan," Lukban said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

"Although meron pa ring part, sa bandang itaas namin, na orange warning. Gayunpaman, dahil sa napakalakas na mga pag-ulan kagabi ay kita natin na medyo tumaas na naman ang lebel ng tubig dito sa ating lalawigan lalo na 'yung mga nasa downstream natin," he said.

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"'Yung mga galing na tubig sa mga matataas ay bumababa nang mabilis. Malakas ang agos," Lukban said.

"Tatlo kasi ang main ilog namin dito na minomonitor. Ito ang Angat River, Meycauayan River, Marilao River at Sta. Maria River. Pare-parehas malalakas ang agos nito at medyo kulay puti, ibig sabihin ay talagang galing ito sa kabundukan," he added.

The water level in already flooded areas is expected to go up, the PDRRMO chief said.

"Meron na rin tayong napapanatili na baha. Eto na naman, tumataas na naman. Sa kasalukuyan, may anim pa rin tayong bayan, LGUs na mga may mga baha pa rin," he said.

"Pare-pareho nating binabantayan itong Hagonoy, Calumpit dahil maliban pa rito sa red warning natin, bandang alas-diyes pasado mamaya, mga 10:49 (a.m.) ay meron na naman tayong ine-expect na pagtaas ng lebel ng high tide ng almost 4 feet ito," Lukban said.

"So kasabay ng paglakas ng ulan, so itong Calumpit, Hagonoy, Balagtas, Paombong ay talagang papahirapan na naman sa pagtaas ng lebel," he added.

So far, 5,511 individuals or 1,589 families from Calumpit, Malolos, and Hagonoy are staying in evacuation centers, according to the Bulacan PDRRMO.

The local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices have been advised to conduct preemptive evacuation, thus more evacuees are expected to be in evacuation centers later today, Lukban said.

Pampanga

Meanwhile, the situation is almost the same in Pampanga, in that already flooded areas are expected to have more rains.

"Ganu'n pa rin, hindi nawawala ang tubig lalo na 'yung sa mga downstream natin - Candaba, Macabebe, Santol - 'yung malapit na bayan sa Manila Bay. Hindi rin nababawasan (ang tubig). Pero 'pag malakas ang Habagat, nadadagdagan pa (ang lebel ng tubig)," Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

"Tapos dati 'yung San Fernando, mataas na 'yon, hindi siya (binabaha). Pero kahapon talagang rumagasa 'yung malaking tubig. Pati 'yung mga subdivision, pinasukan na (ng baha)," she said.

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In Lubao, the water level in the river coming from Zambales went up and damaged the dike. Four houses were washed away by the raging waters. It's a good thing no people were inside the houses at the time, Pineda said.

"Problema pa 'yung magse-secure na dam, napuno ng maliliit na logs. Tapos 'yung mga natumbang puno sa bundok, naharang siya," she said, adding that it is not garbage that blocked the flow of water.

The logs were removed by teams working overnight, Pineda said.

The governor said they already evacuated the affected residents in one district.

The towns most affected by flooding are Macabebe, Santol, Candaba, and other areas along the Pampanga River, she said.

The flood in Macabebe and Santol has been there for almost three weeks now, Pineda said. The floodwaters reach knee-high during high tide, and up to chest-high sometimes due the Habagat.

Pineda said she will call for an emergency this morning with disaster and response agencies.

"Ngayong umaga, magpapatawag ako ng emergency meeting. Inimbitahan ko ang OCD (Office of Civil Defense). At saka 'yung army, police, ang laki ng naitutulong nila sa rescue lalo na sa Macabebe, Masantol. Pinatatawag ko sila...Kailangan talaga naming magplano, anong gagawin kapag ganitong tuloy-tuloy ang baha natin," she said.

Pineda also said they have already prepared an evacuation center that is not located in a school.

Dams

Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan began releasing excess water on Friday evening amid persistent rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat).

Lukban however said the expected overflow of water will not be that much.

"'Yung sa Ipo Dam naman, kung mapapansin ninyo, ito naman kasing Ipo Dam, wala naman talagang control na malaki para sa tubig. So kadalasan, ito ay overflow lang at kung magpakawala ito ay mahina lang," he said.

"Wala dapat ikabahala gaano 'yung ating mga kalalawigan dito dahil maliit lang kung tutuusin, less than 200 cms (cubic meters per second) lang," Lukban said.

"So babagsak naman ito sa Bustos Dam at 'yung total nito about 200 cms lang kung saka-sakali. Hindi pa enough ito para paapawin ang Angat River. Kaya lang, magpapabilis ng daloy ng tubig o agos," he said.

Lukban then warned the public against swimming in the river.

"Kaya nagpapaalala tayo mahigpit na sana walang masisipagligo o dahil mapanganib nga, may kalakasan," Lukban said.

"Pero sa pagbaha na idudulot ng pagpapakawala naman (ng tubig) nito (Ipo Dam) ay hindi gaano. Mas malakas pa rin 'yung manggagaling na babagsakan nito, kasi ang Angat River, magkokonek 'yan sa Calumpit ulit," he added.

"Pero mas malakas 'yung tubig na manggagaling sa backflooding natin. Ito 'yung nanggagaling naman sa Pampanga River basin," Lukban said.

"From Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, at Pampanga, papasok din sa atin 'yan (tubig). So eto ang mas higit nating binabantayan," he said.

Pineda also said their problem is the water coming from upland areas. Pampanga serves as catch basin for floodwaters coming from Nueva Ecija, among others. —KG, GMA News