Flash floods induced by typhoon “Ompong” were reported in many towns of Bulacan province which was submerged in three to four feet of floodwater particularly in the towns of Bulakan, Bocaue, San Miguel, City of Malolos, Marilao, Calumpit, Hagonoy, Sta Maria, Paombong, Obando, Meycauayan City and City of San Jose Del Monte.
As of noontime yesterday, Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, chairman of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council with its composite teams are monitoring the typhoon, the flood situations and the three dams in the said province.
Maricel Cruz, head of the provincial public affairs office of Bulacan, has confirmed that Bulo River and Madlum River in San Miguel and the Santa Maria River have been inundated in several barangays here.
Alvarado have also dispatched local rescue teams, Bulacan Rescue, members of the Philippine National Police, Philippine Army and reservists for rescue operations particularly in low lying areas of coastal towns to evacuate immediately those families surprised by immediate rise of floods.
In Bulakan town, MDRRMO head Rosario “Puso” Mariano has already evacuated hundreds of families in Barangay Taliptip as early of Friday noon and brought to a Bulakan covered court in Barangay Poblacion.
A total of 35 search and rescue personnel from the Bulacan police were deployed in flood-prone areas while 269 others are on a standby mode for deployment, Bersaluna noted.
Bulacan Police provincial director Chito Bersaluna said that evacuation centers were also established in Barangay San Lorenzo in Norzagaray, San Jose in Plaridel and Paliwas in Obando accommodating displaced families.
Meanwhile, John Mendez, head of the San Miguel disaster risk reduction management office, confirmed flashflood in their town occured around 8am on Saturday inundating 27 of the town’s 49 villages.
Hard hit was Barangay Camias which was submerged up to six feet of floodwater, Mendez added.
Reports reached PDRRMO that a half lane of a bridge in Barangay Pantubig in San Rafael town collapsed and remained impassable to any kind of vehicles caused by raging flash floods.
Liz Mungcal, head of the PDRRMO said that military trucks were also deployed to assist and give free rides for stranded commuters in flooded area of Barangay Ibayo in Marilao.
It was also learned that Purok 1 of Barangay San Roque going Barangay Pulong Bayabas was not passable after a huge tree fell into the road while a Meralco post has fallen in Barangay Bambang in Bulakan.