Floods in San Fernando slow to recede

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Floodwaters in most barangays of the City of San Fernando are slow to recede, continuously paralyzing businesses and transportation even as rescue and relief operations in critical areas are going on 24/7 since Tuesday.

In rounds of the city Thursday, residents told Sun.Star Pampanga that only a few groceries and supermarkets, including SM City San Fernando, were open to customers but with enough staple stocks for those securing provisions. Public market vendors have relocated themselves near the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Dolores.

The public transport terminal has also been moved near the Heroes Rotunda in the same barangay but many routes like those going to Capitol and Palawe, as well as to the hard hit town of Sto. Tomas, are without any means of transportation.

The only means of transport in these areas are cycle rickshaws (pedicabs) and the “calesa” or horse drawn rig. One way fare costs from P50 to P100 depending on depth of the water. Most residents just brave the knee to waist deep floodwaters to get to the city proper or other points of destination.

As of 12 noon Thursday, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) reported that 21 of the city’s 35 barangays remain under one to six feet of water. Floods in three barangays have already subsided, rescue officials added.

An estimated 14,196 families or about 56,846 individuals are affected by floods but is expected to rise, the CDRRMO said, as the 25 evacuation centers of the city continue to swell with 1,774 families [7,174 individuals] as more evacuees from barangays San Pedro Cutud, Sta. Lucia and San Nicolas are pouring in.

“We are working round-the-clock to get to the affected barangays as floodwaters are very slow to recede. We hope affected residents would cooperate for their safety,” said City Administrator Ferdinand Caylao.