Zambales residents troop back to evacuation centers as floods return

Residents in five towns of Zambales trooped back to evacuation centers after floodwaters rose again on Sunday due to heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat.

GMA News' Cesar Apolinario reported on Balitanghali that residents of affected towns —especially those from low-lying areas, coastal communities, and hillside villages —returned to evacuation centers Sunday morning as heavy rains and strong winds lashed the whole province.

Fishermen did not venture out into the sea due to big waves, the report added.

Provincial disaster response officials said some 3,000 families from affected barangays in five municipalities are being accommodated in several evacuation centers.

Among the most affected town was San Antonio, with 1,600 families displaced by floods and threats from big waves and landslides.

San Narciso town was also badly hit by the effects of Habagat, with some 800 displaced families now at evacuation centers.

The rest of the evacuees came from other neighboring towns.

Disaster response officials are monitoring the barangays that are prone to flooding and landslides, the report said.

Also, local officials have warned residents that floods might get worse in the coming hours as water from the rain-soaked mountains could run off down into low-lying barangays, it added. —LBG, GMA News