“PAGASA advised residents of the danger areas, especially those living in low-lying and mountainous regions, to be alert against possible flooding and landslides.

Dagupan City was placed under a state of calamity that resulted in the forced evacuation of residents in areas severely affected by flooding.

The City Council issued a resolution issued yesterday as a result of massive flooding in the city after the nearby Sinocalan River in Sta. Barbara has breached its dikes due to continuous rains caused by the storm-enhanced southwest monsoon.

Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo said the resolution was passed during a special session at the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the request of Mayor Belen Fernandez.

“Mayor Fernandez requested that our city be put under a state of calamity after the river overflowed [flooding] Dagupan,” he said.

As of Saturday morning, all roads in the city were not passable to light vehicles, while several barangays were flooded including Mayombo, Pantal, Lucao, Tapuac, Barangays I, II, III and IV, among others, the CDRRMO reported.

CDRRMO head Ronald de Guzman said despite the flooding in the city, no casualty has been reported.

“We expect more water coming from upstream as the city is the catch basin of the Sinocalan River System,” he said.

Under a state of calamity, Dagupan City can set aside five percent of the estimated revenue from regular sources as the annual lump sum appropriation for relief, rehabilitation or reconstruction and other works or services during the budget year.

Tropical storm Inday has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) yesterday morning but heavy monsoon rains persisted.

Reports from weather bureau PAGASA said Inday was last located 915 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers (kms) per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kilometers per hour (kph), moving in the northwest direction at 25 kph.

PAGASA warned the public of an expected moderate to severe wind and rain in some parts of northern and western Luzon due to the southwest monsoon or “habagat” brought by the typhoon.

The weather bureau said a low pressure area (LPA) was spotted at 285 kms west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte which will be called Josie when it develops into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours.

Intermittent moderate to heavy monsoon rains are expected over the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Zambales, and Bataan.

“Scattered light to moderate with occasional heavy rains” may be experienced in Metro Manila, Calabarzon and the rest of Central Luzon today, according to the agency.

Likewise, it advised residents of the danger areas, especially those living in low-lying and mountainous regions, to be alert against possible flooding and landslides.

The weather bureau said residents should coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and continue in monitoring for updates. With Kuhlin Ceslie Gacula

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