THE City Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) in Dagupan is still on red alert as water from upland municipalities is still flowing to the city, flooding to date more than 10 barangays.
Being the catch basin of all water from upstream of the Sinocalan river, Dagupan City catches all the water cascading from the upland in case of heavy rains and typhoons before ending in the Lingayen Gulf, said CDRRMC Officer Ronald de Guzman.
De Guzman said more than 10 barangays close to the Sinocalan River are still underwater, which is the reason some 92 families evacuated prior to Typhoon Lawin (Haima) still remain at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome, the remaining evacuation center in the city still open.
Still flooded in Dagupan are Barangays Lasip, Chico, Bacayao Sur, Bacayao Norte, Bacayao Sur, Lasip Grande, Pogo Grande, Lucap, part of Pantal, part of Mayombo, Barangay 2 and 3, and part of Barangay 1.
Mayor Belen Fernandez blamed the recurrent flood in southern Dagupan City to a man-made river channel and culvert built by the Department of Public Works and Highways sometime in 2013 that convey floodwaters from Banaoang, Calasiao to Dagupan City, instead of the water flowing to the river, a project which she said was not consulted with the people and officials of Dagupan.
Most of the evacuees staying at People’s Astrodome came from the flooded sitios Fisheries and Calarin in Barangay Malued, Lasip Grande, Lasip Chico, Bacayao Sur and Bacayao Norte.
The level of water of the San Roque dam along the Agno river in San Manuel town at 6 a.m. Sunday, October 23, stood at 285.98 meters above sea level (masl), higher than the dam’s high water level of 280 masl.
The last opened gate of the dam, gate 3b, was closed at 10 a.m. of October 22, although five gates of Binga dam in Itogon, Benguet, are still open by 2.5 meters and four gates of Ambuklao dam, opened by two meters.
Officials of the National Power Corporation said it had ordered must-run mode by the turbines of San Roque in order to bring down the big volume of water still impounded at the dam’s reservoir.
Only water coming from the turbines of the power plant is now being discharged by the dam downstream to date, assuring no more flood coming along communities downstream of the Agno river. (PNA)