6 Olongapo villages submerged in floods

Six villages in Olongapo City in Zambales province were submerged in floodwaters due to heavy rains on Monday, a local official said Tuesday.

Olongapo City Mayor Bong Gordon said some houses were submerged in neck-deep floods, forcing residents to stay on their home's roofs.

Gordon said rescue operations have been launched by teams from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for the trapped villagers. He said at least 70,000 residents were affected by the floods.

The mayor said he has ordered the suspension of classes in all levels in the city. He added that some affected residents have been brought to the Olongapo City National High School, which has been turned into an evacuation center.

Weather bureau PAGASA said provinces in Luzon and Visayas will continue to experience monsoon rains. It warned residents against possible flashfloods and landslides.

It also warned small sea crafts against rough seas in Luzon and Visayas due to the southwest monsoon. With a report from Doland Castro, ABS-CBN News

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This writer in three earlier articles warned readers of such an event, it was made because all indicators point to such an inevitable occurence.

WEATHER UPDATE

http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2009/09/weather-update.html

Flood warning for Olongapo residents

http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2009/09/flood-warning-for-olongapo-residents.html

Expect more rains, flooding

http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com/2009/09/expect-more-rains-flooding.html

This writer's prediction is not solely based on PAGASA forecast since it is too general for our specific purpose. Additional actual on-site observation and using experience (living in this place for 48 years), utilization of precipitation forecasts coupled with tide prediction and basic common sense. Since flooding and landslides are our outmost concern, it is more practical to use a precipitation from www.weather-forecast.com map not only satellite image from Pagasa as compared below.

PAGASA IMAGE

As can be observed, the precipitation map from www.weather-forecast.com below is much easier to understand

Here's my note on what transpired:

4:30am electrical power was shut down due to fast rising floodwater

4:50am a house in Jolo, Tabacuan, Sta. Rita was washed-away by strong water current, purok leader requesting for rescue.

5:21am Mrs. Tolentino of Purok Uno Sta Rita requesting for emergency evacuation, she's on labor and about to give birth

5:30am water level decreased by a foot, but again... heavy rains started to pour. A report that in Banicain, water is waist deep

6:00am Report of newly placed garbage bins swept away by rushing floods

The Mayor announced NO CLASSES in all levels

6:30am Mrs. Diwa of Mayumi Sta Rita requesting to be rescued, mother suffering high blood pressure due to fear of the situation

Another landslide reported in Purok Uno, Libas, New Cabalan, houses affected, one covered

7:15am A report of a house in Sta Rita village located near a river about to be swept away, riprap was totally gone and half of the house standing on air

For the whole day, Mayor Gordon went around the city to assess the situation and provide assistance to his constituents. An estimated 70,000 people were affected.

Evacuees were transfered to Olongapo City National High School

Water level subsided.

Tuesday 4:15pm water level started rising again due to another heavy downpour

4:45pm water level increased by another 8 inches and counting..

Tuesday night 59 mm previously 49mm with high tide at 12:37pm @ .79m (from earlier report)

Its nice to note though that the 59mm forecast for this night was reduced to 40mm... but remember... "all bases loaded" - thus water will rise! So put ourselves in HIGHEST ALERT!

Here's the PAGASA release for reference

PAGASA Weather forecast

Issued At: 5:00 a.m., 08 September 2009

(click here to download 5 a.m. Tuesday, 08-Sep-2009 16:30:14 PHT forecast-Adobe PDF format)

Synopsis : Southwest monsoon affecting Luzon and Visayas.

Tropical Cyclone Update

As of today, Tuesday, 08-Sep-2009 16:30:14 PHT no tropical cyclone existing within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Gale Warning

Issued at: 5:00 a.m., Today, 08 September 2009

The surge of the Southwest Monsoon is expected to affect the seaboards of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

More...

Low Pressure Area Advisory

Issued at: 11:00 a.m., 08 September 2009

A Low Pressure Area is estimated at 220 kms West of Dagupan City (16.0°N 118.0°E).

GENERAL FLOOD ADVISORY

For REGION 3 (Central Luzon)

http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/ffb/flood_bul.htm

GENERAL FLOOD ADVISORY # 4

For REGION 3 (ZAMBALES and BATAAN PROVINCE)

Issued at 9:00 AM, 07 September 2009

(Valid until the next issuance at 9:00 AM tomorrow)

WEATHER SYNOPSIS:

SOUTHWEST MONSOON AFFECTING THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LUZON AND VISAYAS.

PAST 24-HRS RAINFALL (MM) ENDING AT 8:00 AM TODAY:

IBA = 129.4 mm

CUBI PT. = 122.0 mm

FORECAST RAINFALL FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS:

MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY HEAVY RAINS FOR THE NEXT 24 HRS.

WATERCOURSES LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED:

RIVERS AND STREAMS IN ZAMBALES PARTICULARLY NAYOM RIVER , STA CRUZ RIVER, UACON RIVER, LAWIS RIVER, SALAZA RIVER, BAGSIT RIVER, BUCAO RIVER, MALOMA RIVER, SANTO TOMAS RIVER, PAMATAWAN RIVER AND STA. RITA RIVER IN OLONGAPO.

RIVERS AND STREAM IN BATAAN PARTICULARLY THE BALANGA AND MORONG RIVERS.

PUBLIC WARNING:

PEOPLE LIVING NEAR THE MOUNTAIN SLOPES AND IN THE LOW-LYING AREAS NEAR THE ABOVE MENTIONED RIVERS AND THE LOCAL COORDINATING COUNCILS CONCERNED ARE STILL ADVISE TO BE ALERT FOR A POSSIBLE FLASHFLOODS AND LANDSLIDES.

Prepared by:

ALP/SRE/DDF/SPS

Duty Hydrologists

Main Operation Center-Flood Forecasting and Warning Section (MOC-FFWS)