Forced evacuation ordered in 18 towns
LINGAYEN—Gov. Amado Espino III ordered the emergency forced evacuation of residents of villages in 18 towns situated along the downstream path of the Agno River at 3:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon after the San Roque Dam started to open four gates at 10:00 a.m. at half a meter.
The Agno River had already swelled when San Roque dam initially released water at the rate of more than 1,000 cubic meters per second that barreled downstream, passing 18 towns and one city in Pangasinan.
Ordered evacuated were residents in San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Asingan, Sta. Maria, Rosales, Balungao, Villasis, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, Bayambang, Basista, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen and San Carlos City.
Moderate to heavy rains dumped by the typhoon had caused San Roque Dam to open its Gates 6 and 5 at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. of Oct. 20 at half meter each as the level of water at its reservoir already reached 282.64 meters above sea level (masl), exceeding the normal high water level of the dam at 280 masl.
The elevation of water at that time was 285.06 meters above sea level (masl) or 5.6 meters higher than the normal high water level of 280 masl or the dam’s spilling level because eight gates of the Ambuklao Dam in Bokod, Benguet, and six gates of Binga Dam in Itogon, Benguet were still open, delivering water to the San Roque Dam.
By 4:00 p.m. Thursday, five gates of San Roque Dam had to be opened by three meters.
On Wednesday, the provincial government had already ordered the preemptive evacuation of 465 families composed of 1,938 individuals in nine towns and one city of Pangasinan on Wednesday night before Typhoon “Lawin” could cause any damage in the low-lying areas.
Evacuated were 188 families in seven barangays of Bolinao; 49 families in eight barangays of San Fabian; 96 families in two barangays of Sual; 52 families in eight barangays of Lingayen; 37 families in two barangays of Agno; seven families in two barangays of Alaminos City, and three families in one barangay of Bani.
Also evacuated to due to rising floodwaters in their areas were 19 families in two villages in Calasiao; 18 families in one barangay of Bugallon; and three families in one barangay of Urbiztondo.
The San Roque Dam closed the gates anew later when Typhoon Lawin had already exited Philippine area of responsibility and after stabilizing the water at the reservoir 280 masl.
WIth 280 masl, farmers in Pangasinan are already assured of enough water during the dry months and enough water for power generation.
The governor stayed at the tactical operations center of PDRRMC at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center overnight to direct operations. (Leonardo Micua)
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