Central Luzon floods reach more villages

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The number of flooded villages in Central Luzon rose to 792 on Wednesday, from 640 on Monday, as floodwaters from upland areas settled downstream of the Pampanga River, a report from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

In Pangasinan, flooding in the province in the last four days left a person dead, and destroyed some P156.8 million worth of crops, fishery and roads in 24 towns and cities.

The number of flooded villages in Pampanga increased from 200 to 294, and in neighboring Bulacan from 236 to 274, the OCD report said. The two provinces are at the mouth of the Pampanga River where 30 river systems in Central Luzon drain before exiting to Manila Bay.

Reports said water levels have receded to less than two feet in some areas.

The floods have sent more than 67,000 people to public elementary schools and barangay halls that served as evacuation centers in the region.

The number of victims who drowned in Central Luzon rose to six, while two others remained missing.

In Pampanga, at least 20 dikes, spillways and bridges were damaged, said reports from the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council. Floods destroyed nearly P5 million in livestock and poultry and P148 million in crops and fishery.

The lone casualty in Pangasinan was Vicente Jacob, 39, who was swept away by strong currents as he crossed the Tulong River in Urdaneta City on Sunday.