Espino issues alert on Umingan dam
LINGAYEN–Governor Amado Espino Jr. has sent a team of engineers to Umingan in eastern Pangasinan Thursday morning to inspect the natural dam on top of the Caraballo Mountains, which hillside residents fear is in danger of collapsing soon.
He ordered the inspection even as he directed the immediate evacuation of some 530 families from five barangays in the foothills of the Caraballo Mountain to safer grounds.
“The residents fear that the natural dam may break up and cause landslide and mudflows if there will be more rains in the next few days.” Espino said at a news conference after convening a meeting of the members of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) on Thursday.
The team of engineers will be forced to go to the area on foot, passing through dangerous trails because the helicopter borrowed by the province suffered mechanical trouble from previous rescue and relief operations.
Espino said the plan initially drawn up by engineers is to create a small opening in the natural dam to allow the water to cascade downward slowly and avoid a sudden release.
“This is the plan in order to prevent the collapse of the natural dam,” he said.
Espino, however, was quick to allay fears that another major flood would occur on account of the dam’s collapse since the water will flow to the Viray-Dipalo River linked to the Agno River between Tayug and Sta. Maria towns.
PDCC Executive Officer Paterno Orduna said 460 households have been evacuated to the Maseil-seil Elementary School, while another 65 came from Barangay Montano, 11 from Barangay Poblacion and 70 persons from Poblacion East
Espino said most of the rivers in central and eastern Pangasinan are still swelling and that many flood control dikes along the Agno River had already been breached.
He also expressed apprehension over the tidal flow from adjacent Lingayen Gulf that could contribute to potential flooding.
“There may be some flooding but not in the magnitude like what was experienced by the people of Pangasinan last October 9 to 13,” said Espino.—LM
