Heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon have caused a river in Barangay Candating, Arayat, Pampanga to overflow, with flooding made worse by damage on a P90-million flood control project.

The project, completed just a year prior, sustained significant damage after continuous rainfall.

According to Jeffrey Venzon, chief of the Arayat Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), a portion of the structure's sheet pile gave way, exacerbating the flooding.

"Tapos na nga po ‘yung project one year — after one year po ito po ang nangyari, may portion po ng sheet pile na bumigay po," Venzon said.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Pampanga 1st District Office reported that a whirlpool formed in the river, which led to the damage.

As a result, 28 families had to be evacuated to ensure their safety.

"Nagdala po ng takot sa mga residente. We are after the safety po ng mga residente. Wala po ngayong nakatira doon, mga affected na families, po doon," Venzon said.

In response, DPWH confirmed that sandbagging and the removal of damaged sheet piles are underway as temporary solutions as the agency awaits the revised design to address the structural failure of the multi-million peso project.