By Hilda Austria | Philippine News Agency
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Some 87 families or 286 persons were evacuated from their homes in different parts of Pangasinan due to flooding caused by Severe Tropical Storm Maring as of 5 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 12).
In an interview, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) emergency operations center director Ron Castillo said the families were from the towns of San Fabian, Bolinao, Binalonan, San Nicolas, Laoac, San Jacinto, and Bani.
He said Pangasinan is under red alert status due to “Maring”, while an orange rainfall warning was raised over the province.
Areas under this alert will experience rainfall of between 15 to 30 millimeters per hour, causing serious flooding to communities.
“All PDRRMO personnel are in full force including its resources and monitoring in the province’s situation is intense,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Amado Espino III on Tuesday suspended classes at all levels and work in government offices in the entire province, except those involved in disaster monitoring and emergency response.
“However, suspension of work in private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their company executive officers, taking into account the safety and convenience of the employees,” said Espino in Memorandum No. 05.
As of 8:00 a.m., “Maring” continues to move away from extreme Northern Luzon. Its center was estimated at 230 kilometers west of Calayan, Cagayan with a maximum sustained winds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness of up to 125 kph. (PNA) – bny
