Pangasinan tallies P100 million in agriculture, infrastructure damage

The local government of Pangasinan said tropical cyclone Carina and the enhanced Habagat (Southwest Monsoon) caused up to P100 Million in agriculture and infrastructure damage.

According to a 24 Oras report by GMA Regional TV's Claire Lacanilao on Friday, Dagupan City and nearby areas continued to experience heavy rains.

The Marusay-Sinucalan River, which flows through Calasiao and Santa  Barbara, rose close to the 8-foot critical level at 9 a.m. on Friday.

The Santa Barbara Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office ordered the removal of blockages,  such as water lilies, from the river.

“Sa taas kasi, malakas  pa ang ulan kagabi kaya hindi pa alam kung gaano katagal bumaba ang  tubig galing doon sa kanila. Baka maapektuhan kami,” said Santa Barbara , DRRM Officer Raymundo Santos.

(Rains were still heavy last night, so we are unsure how long it would take for water to flow from there. We might get affected.)

The Payas Creek also overflowed, causing thigh-deep floods in Barangay Anolid in Mangaldan, Pangasinan.

Residents living near fields and creeks also suffered from flooding.

“Hanggang dito sa tuhod [ang baha],’yung mga damit ko basa lahat,” said resident Josefa Reside.

(The flood reached up until our knees, and my clothes all got wet.)

“Isa ito sa dahilan kaya hindi makaagos ‘yung tubig papunta sa Sinucalan  River, kasi itong imburnal medyo nakakabara,” added Mangaldan MDRRM  Officer Rodolfo Corla.

(This is one of the reasons why the water couldn’t flow towards the Sinucalan River. It's because the sewers were blocked.)

In Barangay Poblacion in Lingayen, Pangasinan, residents living near rivers have experienced flooding for the past two days.

In Dagupan City, most flood victims moved to evacuation centers and lived in modular tents.

Seven other areas in Pangasinan experienced floods.

“Low-lying areas malapit sa kailugan, eto yung mga binabaha,” said Pangasinan Assistant DRRM Officer Avenix Arenas.

(Low-lying areas near the river are usually flood-prone.) — Jiselle Anne Casucian/DVM, GMA Integrated News