IBA, Zambales—Heavy rain brought by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon ‘‘Butchoy’’ caused landslides and flooding in at least three towns in this province.
Two landslides occurred in Olongapo City due to the continuing heavy rains, one at the Skipper Beach in Barangay Barretto and another at the Olongapo public cemetery beside the national highway in Barangay Kalaklan.
City government offices led by Mayor Rolen Paulino and Vice Mayor Jong Cortez, as well as the Department of Public Works and Highways and Barangay Kalaklan officials worked to allay residents’ fears that they may experience flooding similar to what they underwent three years ago.
Meanwhile, 506 residents were evacuated in Zambales due to flooding in the towns of San Narciso, San Antonio and San Felipe.
Gov. Amor Deloso said based on the latest update from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chief Graciela Macabare-Ednalen, the evacuees were from the municipalities of San Felipe, 41 families; San Narciso, 10 families; San Antonio, four; Iba, five; and Botolan, two.
Severely affected families of the flooding reached more than 5,161, all from the said municipalities.
Deloso instructed the Provincial Engineering Office to dispatch available dumptrucks to flooded areas to augment barangay and municipal rescue operations.
Zambales 2nd District Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla earlier posted on her Facebook account all national roads in Zambales are passable as per PDRRMO except in Alusiis, San Narciso where only heavy vehicles can pass through due to flooding along the national road.
She added that there are reports of flooding in some areas in different towns but there is no cause for alarm.