Olongapo declares state of calamity

The Olongapo City council, after the state of the city report of CDCC Chairman and Mayor Bong Gordon yesterday at their regular session passed a resolution declaring a state of calamity.

In his report, the mayor stated that 15 out of 17 barangays are flooded and 90 percent of the city's roads affected. (read www.sangunian.com for more details)

Monsoon rains submerge Botolan anew, cut link to South Zambales

Ninety percent of Botolan, Zambales is was submerged in floodwater as monsoon rains enhanced by the tailend of Typhoon Labuyo battered the whole province, doubling the effect of the onslaught of tropical storm Kiko that hit the town almost a month ago.

Latest report from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) revealed that nonstop rains that started 12 noon Sept 7 brought floodwaters reaching as high as six feet damaging a total of 1,197 houses and displacing some 2,000 families.

The national highway along Barangay Carael linking South Zambales to the North was also closed to traffic anew as the approaches to the newly constructed steel bridge were damaged by strong currents of floodwaters expanding as wide as 5 kilometers and depth of 2 feet.

The Bailey Type Bridge had just undergone repairs yesterday to avoid further damage but raging waters destroyed even the "Gabion mattress" or concreted boulders the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had placed to reinforce the bridge's shoulders, according to DPWH District Engineer Hercules Manlicmot.

Relief operations and emergency assistance by the PDCC, the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), Provincial Social Welfare and development Office (PSWDO), Philippine National Police Zambales Provincial Office (PNP-ZPO), and the 24th IB of the Philippine Army are on-going as of press time and is personally supervised by Governor Amor D. Deloso.

In an interview, Governor Deloso has announced his plan to call into a summit the Olongapo City Government and concerned national agencies to discuss massive dredging and desilting operations in the province to clear waterways and avoid aggravating the now escalating disaster. (PIA-Zambales)

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Villages in Zambales, Pampanga remain flooded

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20090909-224401/3-dead-3-missing-due-to-heavy-rains

In Zambales, 16 villages in the municipalities of San Felipe, San Marcelino and Botolan were reported to be flooded while 15 other villages were under water in Olongapo City, Rabonza said.

Also in Olongapo City, seven families (or 52 persons) were affected by landslides in four areas of the city, the NDCC added.

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Heavy rains plaguing the western section of the country has affected 70,000 residents in Olongapo City in Zambales, leading to suspension of classes in schools at all levels.

Olangapo Mayor James “Bong" Gordon Jr. said he suspended classes Tuesday in the entire city after a river that passes through it overflowed, aggravated by high tides, causing neck-deep floods in at least six villages.

Some residents were forced to move to the second floor of their houses, while others were evacuated to the Olongapo City National High School.

Residents of neighboring Botolan town, also in Zambales, were forced to flee their homes after a number of rivers nearby also overflowed. The inclement weather has also damaged three bridges, isolating half of Botolan’s population.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has deployed rescue teams to assist residents.

The incessant rains, attributed by weather forecasters to the southwest monsoon, closed portions of the national highway connecting Central Luzon to Cagayan Valley region on Monday night.

Sections of the highway in Santa Fe town in Nueva Vizcaya and Carranglan town in Nueva Ecija were closed due to mud and other sediment left by floods.

Chief Superintendent Roberto Damian, Cagayan Valley police regional director, said a team of engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways has already cleared the road for motorists.

In Manila, afternoon classes in elementary and high school in five villages in Malabon were also suspended Tuesday due to floods. Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV

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ABS CBN NEWS VIDEO

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Courtesy of : ABS-CBN , TV PatroL WorLd .... FLOOD on BOTOLAN , Zambalez and OLONGAPO