‘Pedring’ affects over 5,000 families in Zambales

ONE person was reported killed and another one went missing while more than 5,000 families in the province of Zambales have been affected during the ravage of Typhoon Pedring.

More than P48.9 million worth of rice crops in the towns of Sta. Cruz, Palauig, San Marcelino and Castillejos were also damaged.

Strong winds also leveled vegetable farms and felled fruit-bearing trees in the province.

“This is just a partial assessment,” Zambales Governor Jun Ebdane said of the damage report.

“Our team is still checking out other locations. I truly hope we don’t find any more huge damages,” he added.

Ebdane also ordered the emergency repair of an eroded portion of the Sto. Thomas dike during the height of the typhoon.

Ebdane, who inspected communities damaged by the typhoon Wednesday, said a total of 5,120 families or 25,168 persons were affected either by flooding or strong winds that destroyed residences, as well as some public buildings. Of these, a total of 742 families composed of 2,658 persons were evacuated.

Most of those affected come from the northern towns of Zambales: Sta. Cruz, with 5,110 persons affected; Candelaria with 4,850; Masinloc, 5,910; and Palauig, 6,527. Of the affected persons, 1,498 were evacuated in Sta. Cruz town.

In Iba, a total of 1,607 persons were affected, and Botolan had 498; Cabangan 509; and San Antonio 157. Evacuees in Botolan numbered 118 families, Cabangan 126, San Felipe 98, and San Antonio 43 families.

A report by the Zambales Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also indicated one death here – Jose Buno, 45, who drowned at Barangay Lomboy in Cabangan.

In Maloma, Cabangan, meanwhile, Ernesto Labrador, 57, has been reported missing and has not been located yet as of Wednesday.

Ebdane said relief operations have been ongoing on since Tuesday at the height of Typhoon Pedring, as nine of the 13 towns in the province were heavily affected by the typhoon. (Anthony Bayarong of Sun.Star Pampanga)