PILAR, Bataan — Heavy rains triggered by the southwest monsoon and tropical storm Henry battered Bataan Tuesday causing flash floods in 34 villages in 10 towns.
Partial report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) showed the affected villages were from the towns of Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Orani, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles and Morong and the City of Balanga.
“Sa 12 bayan, Samal at Bagac ang wala pang report. Ang baha ay one to four feet ang lalim na ang pinakamalalim ay sa Pilar where evacuation is ongoing,” PDRRMO chief Josefi na Timoteo said.
She said that 60 individuals from Balanga City and 36 others from Morong were in evacuation centers.
“Bumaha dahil sa pagtaas ng tubig dala ng heavy rainfall at nagsalubong ang tubig sa dagat at bundok,” Timoteo said.
She said that national roads were passable except the portion of the Roman Highway in barangays Balut and Bilolo in Orion where road construction was going on.
“As early as June, PDRRMO and its attached agencies are ready in equipment and resources to assist local government units in cases of any calamity and disaster,” she added.
Hard hit by the flood were residents in a sitio in Barangay Poblacion in Pilar town. Water from the swollen river almost overflowed in a bridge along the MacArthur Highway in Pilar where rescue workers were on watch.
“Hanggang leeg ang tubig sa amin. Galing ito sa tabon, sa irrigation. Biglang lumaki tubig ngayong umaga,” Domingo Lutario said.
Roxanne Bernabe and a girl companion were the early evacuees at the Poblacion barangay hall.
“Hanggang hita ang tubig sa loob ng bahay namin. Ipinagtataas namin ang mga gamit, patong-patong,” she said.
She said that water rose at 6 a.m. and that more evacuees were coming.
