BLUE ALERT. Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office rescue equipment and personnel are on standby amid the continuing torrential rain on Monday (July 17, 2023). Two have been reported dead over the weekend but they are yet to be classified as typhoon-related. (Photo courtesy of PDRRMO Facebook page)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Two persons died in separate incidents in Pangasinan on Sunday amid the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat and enhanced by Tropical Depression Dodong.
In a statement on Monday, Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO-1) identified the casualties as 23-year-old Aloyssius Kevin Masa Chavez, a resident of Sta. Rosa, Laguna, who drowned in Bolinao town, and 62-year-old Ariel Dacera Canaria, a resident of Bani town, who crashed his motorcycle into an electric post that fell in the middle of the road.
Chavez was kayaking with his friend at a beach resort when the water current brought them to a deeper portion of the sea and smashed with huge waves.
His friend survived while Chavez was later recovered and brought to the nearest hospital although he was already dead, PRO-1 stated.
Canaria was driving his motorcycle that hit an electric post in Barangay Calabeng resulting in serious injury on his head and different parts of his body.
He was brought to Bolinao Community Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician.
In a separate interview, Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) operations and training head Vincent Chu said they are still verifying if the incidents will be classified as typhoon-related.
Meanwhile, Chu said the province remains under blue alert status, which means that equipment and personnel of PDRRMO are still on standby to assist local government units needing assistance.
“The 103 families who evacuated have already returned to their homes except for the two families in Bani town and there are no longer flooded areas and the river systems are at normal levels,” he said.
He added that most of the evacuees were from the western portion of Pangasinan.
They received relief goods from their respective local government and provincial government of Pangasinan.
The local government of Manaoag suspended classes on Monday due to unpredictable weather conditions. (PNA)
