LINGAYEN—Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel”, which came only four days apart, caused an estimated P716 million worth of damages in agriculture and infrastructure.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported that while Typhoon Quiel may have slammed the province with stronger winds, Typhoon Pedring actually caused more damages to Pangasinan.

Avenix Arenas, PDRRMC spokesperson said, Pedring alone wreaked havoc that resulted in P583 million in damages while Quiel’s wrath took a toll of P133 million as of 12 noon of October 3.

The widespread flooding initially caused by Pedring was aggravated by Quiel.

“May danyos na kasi kay Pedring, pinalala lang ni Quiel dahil sumunod ito kaagad,” Arenas said.

Pangasinan was declared under typhoon warning signal number 3 twice in a span of one week, the first was on September 27 and the second on October 1.

Pedring claimed two lives and left four injured while Quiel also left two dead due to drowning.

As Quiel battered the province, some 1,944 families comprising of 8,702 persons were evacuated in 56 evacuation centers around the province.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. called the attention of dam operators in the morning of October 1 to strictly observe an earlier agreement about the opening spillway gates at the 278 meters above sea level (masl) mark to allow gradual releases of water and to avoid a repeat of the devastation in 2009.

SAN ROQUE DAM

Meanwhile, the proposed indemnity insurance for flood victims in Pangasinan caused by dams as suggested by a senator was refuted by the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), asserting that the flooding in the province was not caused by the water released from the San Roque Dam.

“Dams never cause flooding nor aggravate flooding at the downstream. They even mitigate or sometimes prevent floods and at the same time deliver the benefits as they were designed for,” said Tommy Valdez, vice-president for corporate social responsibility of SRPC, in a text message.

In 2009, however, the sudden release of water from San Roque Dam was proven to have aggravated the flooding caused by Typhoon Pepeng that caused severe flooding in many towns. The incident prompted the introduction of a new protocol and closer coordination between the dam operators and the provincial government.

The San Roque dam in San Manuel town was forced to release more water as inflow increased because of continued releases by the upstream dams Ambuklao and Binga.

From the initial half meter opening noon of September 29 noon, another half was added morning of October 1.

At past 12 p.m., another half was added until the total opening reached three meters by around 3 p.m.

At about past 9 p.m., only one meter was left open as water inflow decreased and the water level steadied at the 282 masl mark.

Espino directed all local government units to effect pre-emptive evacuation other precautionary measures.

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