Kiko leaves 1,946 homeless in Zambales

Typhoon “Kiko” has left some 1,946 residents of Botolan, Zambales homeless after the flood control dike in Bacao River collapsed from continuous heavy rains, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) here reported.

The RDCC said the flood waters came from Mt. Pinatubo where five persons, including three French tourists, died because of landslides.

Ten barangays in Botolan were hit by floods induced by the typhoon that hit Northern Luzon last week,

because the Bucao dike suffered a breach.

Residents affected by the floods are staying at evacuation areas in the province where the RDCC, the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Botolan Municipal Government and the Zambales Provincial Government are assisting calamity victims.

PNRC chairman, Sen. Richard Gordon, PNRC visited the flood victims last Sunday and helped hand out relief goods.

While the RDCC is yet to estimate the damage in the province, Gov. Amor Deloso said that P205-million would be needed for the reconstruction of the dike and road destroyed during the typhoon.

“At least P175-million would be needed to fund the rehabilitation of the flood control dike alone,” Deloso said.

She said the 800-meter dike should be repaired as soon as the weather improves.

The governor said that another P30 million is needed for the repair of the San Juan National Road.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the dike and road, still impassable as of press time, would take at least a month.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and DPWH Asst. Regional Director Domingo Mariano inspected the damage last Friday.

Mariano said that the national government had instructed DPWH to take necessary actions as soon as possible because the damaged road is the most convenient way to go from Manila to Iba, Zambales, the province’s capital.

“Flood is a perennial problem in Zambales but this one is unforeseen because we did not expect that the dike will be destroyed,” Mariano said. By MARK ANTHONY N. MANUEL - Manila Bulletin