Balanga turns into waterworld
    30 people, mostly children, trapped, rescued

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    BALANGA City – Monsoon rains Sunday night till Monday morning caused heavy flooding in major areas in the commercial district of Balanga City and adjacent villages, turning Bataan’s only component city into a waterworld.

    The Philippine Coast Guard, soldiers of the 24th Infantry Batallion and barangay officials rescued more than 30 people, mostly children, trapped by turbulent flood waters in Sitio Rio del Mar in Barangay Cupang Proper.

    Barangay Captain Norman Guila said they have warned residents to evacuate. “Kaya lang may matitigas ang ulo na ang akala eh hindi tataas ang tubig. Ang nangyari, biglang lumaki ang baha,” the village chief said.

    He said that as of 1 a.m. Monday, they conducted preemptive evacuation along the floodprone area but some residents thought that there was no danger so decided to stay in their houses. “Pero biglang lumaki ang tubig kaya naipit ang ilang pamilya na karamihan pa naman mga bata,” Guila said.

    “Nabigla ang mga tao sa biglang paglaki ng tubig,” barangay secretary Romano Baul said. Among those rescued were twins aged three months. “Hindi kami nakalabas agad dahil lumubog ang kubo namin,” said an exhausted old woman.

    Flood waters from two to three feet deep hit Barangays Ibayo, Tenejero, Dona Francisca, Cataning, San Jose, Poblacion and Tuyo. The beautiful Plaza Mayor de Balanga sandwiched between the elegant St. Joseph Cathedral, city hall and business establishments was with waist-deep flood waters.

    A portion of the MacArthur Highway adjacent to the four-lane road in Tuyo was not passable to all types of vehicles. Department stores, convenient stores and other businesses and private offices were all closed the whole day of Monday.

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