High tide damages dike, causes flash flood in Bulacan town

BUFFER | Residents in Obando, Bulacan, install net traps at their gates and front yards to prevent garbage from getting into their residences in case of another flash flood due to rising level of high tide, which is worsened by damaged stop gates and dike. This photo was taken in this photo taken on June 19, 2022 (Photo by CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE/ Inquirer Central Luzon)

OBANDO, Bulacan, Philippines — High tide has been causing flood waters to rise and garbage to float in some villages in this town after the floodgate and old dike here were consecutively destroyed in May and early this month, officials said on Sunday.

Mayor-elect Leonardo Valeda, an outgoing councilor of the town, said the construction firm dispatched by Department of Public Works and Highways Bulacan second district engineering chief George Santos assured him that the sheet files needed to replace the destroyed section of the Paco-Tawiran dike would be finished by Wednesday.

The floodgate in Barangay Lawa, installed in 2018, was destroyed on June 15, while the 40-meter portion of the decade-old dike in Paco-Tawiran collapsed on May 24.

But a 5.2-foot-high tide on June 18 caused the floods to rush into the villages of Lawa, Paco, Tawiran, portions of Hulo and San Pascual, all in Obando; and the adjacent Barangay Polo in Valenzuela City in Metro Manila. Obando has 11 villages.

The affected residents had to endure a foot-deep flood. Authorities said the high tide also damaged the floodgate and the dike.

Net traps

Heavy rains on June 18 also contributed to the flood, said Tawiran village resident Antonio Biron. The garbage from all over the town was also found floating in the streets, prompting residents to install net traps in their gates and front yards.

The government of Valenzuela City has sent sandbags to Obando to build a makeshift floodgate and prevent the water from reaching Barangay Polo.

The Bulacan provincial government also sent sandbags and 10 trucks of adobe to create temporary dikes and floodgates.

—CARMELA REYES- ESTROPE

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