BLUE ALERT. Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) personnel prepare rescue equipment in this photo taken on July 17, 2023. Several typhoons and the enhanced southwest monsoon have left PHP55.5 million in damage to infrastructure in Pangasinan, the PDRRMO said in a report Thursday (Sept. 7, 2023). (Photo courtesy of PDRRMO Facebook page)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The province of Pangasinan was left with PHP55.5 million worth of damage to infrastructure after the onslaught of two typhoons and the enhanced southwest monsoon or "habagat," the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said.
In a situational report on Thursday, Pangasinan PDRRM officer Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro said most of the infrastructures damaged were provincial roads, specifically those with dilapidated asphalt pavement that developed potholes.
Based on the reports of the local government units, as of 11 a.m. Thursday, the affected roads were in Bolinao, Bani, Mabini, Burgos, San Jacinto, Mangaldan, Sison, Balungao, Umingan, San Manuel, and Asingan towns, while the Lingayen-San Carlos City-Urbiztondo road dike was among the damaged infrastructure amounting to PHP15 million due to the heavy rains caused by the recent typhoons and "habagat."
The costs of the damage on the other provincial roads ranged from PHP1.5 million to PHP4 million each.
Oro said a house in Mangaldan town was destroyed and seven houses in Mangaldan and San Fabian towns were damaged.
Mabini town has reported damage worth PHP46,500 to its livestock, while the other localities have yet to declare any damage to agriculture and livestock.
A total of 5,618 families from nine municipalities have been affected by the flooding in the province, he said.
No typhoon-related casualties were reported, though three minors died due to drowning in Malasiqui on Sept. 5.
The PDRRMO has yet to verify if it could be considered typhoon-related.
The San Roque Dam’s water level has risen to 260.43 meters above sea level as of Thursday but is still within the normal level.
The PDRRMO has downgraded its status to white alert as Tropical Depression Ineng left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday. (PNA)
