Pampanga hardest hit by Habagat, over 17,000 residents evacuated

Text By MINI ZAMORA-ARCEO | Photos by ERLIN M. DUE

Pampanga has been identified as the hardest-hit province by the southwest monsoon or Habagat in the Philippines, with flooding affecting hundreds of barangays and displacing more than 17,000 residents.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Undersecretary Harold Cabreros said Pampanga faced the heaviest impact of the continuing monsoon rains.

As of August 31, the Pampanga Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) recorded flooding in 327 barangays across 20 municipalities and cities in the province.

More than 17,000 individuals have been reported evacuated as provincial and local disaster response teams continue rescue and evacuation operations in flood-affected communities.

Governor Lilia Pineda and Vice Governor Dennis Pineda convened an emergency inter-agency meeting on Monday to strengthen the province’s response to the flooding. Discussions focused on the distribution of relief goods, provision of clean water and medical assistance, and the deployment of additional rescue personnel to affected areas.

The provincial government also urged residents to remain vigilant, follow official advisories and evacuate immediately when ordered by authorities.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) activated the provincial government’s Mobile Kitchen to provide hot meals to evacuees staying at temporary shelters in Porac and Lubao.

At the Porac Municipal Gym, 80 families or 281 individuals were reported to be taking shelter. Meanwhile, the Lubao Evacuation Center was accommodating 139 families or 467 individuals.

Hot meals continued to be distributed as part of the provincial government’s assistance to families displaced by the floods.

In San Simon, a total of 4,800 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were distributed to residents affected by flooding.

Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda led the distribution together with personnel from the PDRRMO and General Services Office (GSO). Relief packs were delivered to residents of Barangays San Pedro, San Juan, San Jose, San Nicolas and Santa Cruz.

Meanwhile, the PDRRMO reported that an orange rainfall warning remained in effect as of August 30 over several areas in Zambales and Tarlac.

The areas covered by the orange warning in Zambales were Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Masinloc, Palauig and Iba, while San Clemente, Mayantoc, Camiling and Santa Ignacia in Tarlac were also placed under the same warning level.

A yellow rainfall warning was raised over parts of Bataan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.

In Pampanga, the areas under the yellow warning included Porac, Floridablanca, Lubao, Santa Rita, Guagua, Angeles, Mabalacat, Santa Ana, San Luis, Apalit, San Simon, Masantol, Macabebe, Sasmuan, Minalin, San Fernando, Bacolor, Mexico and Santo Tomas.

The flooding and heavy rains were part of a broader weather disturbance affecting several regions across the country.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on August 30 that approximately 8.4 million people, or 2.4 million families, had been affected by the southwest monsoon and recent tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng.

The affected population was recorded in the National Capital Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Cordillera Administrative Region, Bicol Region and Zamboanga Peninsula.

Authorities continue to monitor flood-prone areas and advised residents to stay updated on weather and disaster warnings as response and relief operations remain ongoing.