Guv calls for pre-emptive evacuation

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Governor Lilia Pineda called for a pre-emptive evacuation among residents living in the coastal villages in the 4th district of the province on Tuesday.

“‘Yung kababayan natin na nakatira sa coastal towns sana po ay mag-voluntary evacuate na sila. Huwag na nilang hintayin pa na abutin sila ng mataas na tubig (I hope people living in coastal towns will voluntary evacuate. Please do not wait until the water rises),” Pineda said.

She asked the residents to prioritize the safety of their respective families by temporarily leaving their houses situated near the Pampanga River.

PAMPANGA. Deep flood did not spare business establishments along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in the City of San Fernando. (Chris Navarro)

The governor called an emergency meeting with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), provincial elected officials and department heads to assess the current situation of the flooded towns.

Continuous heavy rains the past few days resulted to the overflowing of Pampanga River that caused knee-deep to waist-deep floodwater in some communities.

The PDRRMC earlier reported that flooding persists in the 11 towns of the province as floodwaters overflow from Pampanga River, Abacan River, Guagua River and Candaba swamp.

The PDRRMC also advised residents living in low-lying communities and high tide-affected areas in major river systems and waterways to cooperate with their respective local government units (LGUs) for their safety.

The affected flooded municipalities were Guagua (30 barangays), Lubao (26), Sasmuan (12), Bacolor (2), Apalit (4), Candaba (4), Macabebe (25), Masantol (26), Minalin (15), San Simon (8), San Luis (4) and Sta. Rita.