MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – A total of 788 families, or 2,462 individuals, in Pangasinan province were evacuated from their flooded residences early Wednesday, July 23, 2025, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said.
The evacuees were from the municipalities of Bugallon, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, Urbiztondo, Calasiao, Mangatarem, and Bani, as well as Dagupan City, PDRRMO emergency operation center team leader, Maegan Equila, said in a phone interview.
"Rescue is ongoing in some of the areas, hence the number of evacuees may still increase," she said.
A red alert status was raised in the province as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, she added.
A total of 116 villages out of the 1,364 villages in the province are inundated, with the highest floodwater level recorded in Barangay Talibaew, Calasiao at 5 feet.
Equila said 132,397 families, consisting of 428,201 individuals, in Pangasinan have been affected by the flooding caused by the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Crising (international name Wipha) last week and the southwest monsoon.
She said there are still no confirmed disaster-related casualties, but two drowning incidents in Binmaley and Sta. Barbara were being verified.
"We ask the residents to remain vigilant. Despite the break from heavy rainfall in the province today, the water from the upland is continuously going downstream to the river systems and the new weather disturbance might bring heavy rainfall in the upland, which will still go down to our river systems," she said.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the weather bureau said the low-pressure area west of the Babuyan Islands has developed into Tropical Depression Emong, while “Dante,” located east of Extreme Northern Luzon, has intensified into a tropical storm. Dante is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon.
As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the waters of the Marusay River in Calasiao town, Balingcaguing River in Mabini town, Agno/Bañaga River in Bugallon town, and Pantal River in Dagupan City are above critical level, while the Bued/Cayanga River in San Fabian town is above normal level and the Sinucalan River in Sta. Barbara is at critical level.
Several roads, mostly in the villages of Alaminos City, and the municipalities of San Nicolas, Mangatarem, Calasiao, Pozorrubio, Sta. Barbara, Bautista, Balungao, Labrador, and Urbiztondo are impassable due to flooding. (PNA)