BY LEONARDO V. MICUA

WAS it mere coincidence or was the city destined to suffer the worst flood yet after 37 years?

The three worst floods that have swept over Pangasinan in recorded memory occurred 37 years of each other. Does that mean, the city can expect the next killer flood in 2046?

The first happened in 1935. That flood washed out the old Franklin Bridge across Calmay River and the first Dagupan sectarian school, the St. Albertus Magnos College, which was located at the western end of the bridge.

The second occurred in 1972 following the prolonged monsoon rains from July to September that inundated all of Luzon, isolating Dagupan from the rest of the province and Luzon.

Today, 37 years later, the 10/9 deluge hit the province, and this one has proven to be the worst of all. It was rainfall spawned by Typhoon Pepeng and the sudden release of huge volume of water from the San Roque Dam that caused it this time.

Worst hit were municipalities in eastern and central parts of the province.

Fortunately for the province, the number of fatalities was minimized after preemptive measures were launched by the provincial disaster coordinating council shortly before the dam released excess water.

A situational report made by Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. on Tuesday to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the most recent flood from October 9 to 13 was even bigger than the great floods of 1935 and 1972 in terms of scope and height of the water.

Fernandez reported that all the 31 barangays in Dagupan City were under water from 4 to 12 feet, driving many of the residents to seek refuge on the rooftops of their homes. A number had to wait for few days to be rescued.

The unprecedented city-wide flooding is attributed to the huge volume of rainfall unleashed by typhoon “Pepeng” and the release of dam water from upstream, compounded by cycling tidal rise of water in the sea.

Given the high level of preparedness of the city government, no casualties or missing persons were reported owing to the timely warning provided by barangay chairmen to their constituents.

More than 2,000 families, comprising some 10,000 individuals, were evacuated in 18 city evacuation centers and another 6,000 families or 30,000 individuals in 260 other high-rise buildings and private residences.

Power has been fully restored as of October 13 in at least nine barangays, however, floodwater remained high in 11 other barangays, isolating them without electricity supply.

The Dagupan Electric Corporation assured that the city will be fully energized in the next 72 hours.

The report said that as of October 13, at least 30 percent of the city was still submerged in floodwater. As of October 12, access to clean water was restored in areas served by 10 to 18 pumping stations.

The Dagupan City Water District Water said services will be fully restored within the week.

Fernandez also reported that the damage to fisheries in the city was heavy with initial estimates at more than P471.4 million, affecting 92 hectares of fishponds and 720 units of fishpens, including stationary fishing gears.

Damage to the negligible rice crops in Dagupan was placed at around P2 million.

The City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) estimated the damage to government infrastructure, real and personal properties at P200 million.

An estimated 280 tons of garbage was collected throughout the city in the aftermath of the flood.—LM

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