ANTICIPATING extensive damage to the city by the onslaught of Typhoon ‘Ompong’, the Dagupan City government has been placed on high alert since Tuesday, September 11.

Mayor Belen T. Fernandez called for a meeting with the city’s Quick Response Team (QRT), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), barangay captains, department heads and concerned agencies in the city.

Ronald De Guzman, CDRRMO head, presented the possible scenarios based on the city’s experience when extended flooding hit the city and discussed the rescue operations to be conducted by their rescue teams.

Mayor Fernandez directed the CDRRMO to conduct preemptive evacuation measures in critical low lying areas.

Fernandez advised the Dagupan Electric Corporation (DECORP) to cut off power supply once posts start to fall to prevent possible electrocution by residents wading through floodwaters while the Dagupan City Water District was asked to prepare its water trucks to provide drinking water for emergency cases.

She also urged the barangay captains and coastal authorities such as the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coastguard to remain vigilant and stop fishermen from fishing during the typhoon.

“Our CDRRMO and PARMC are operating 24 hours a day. We have to make sure our rescue trucks and rescue boats are ready. We will be having shifting schedules to make sure operations will be continuous. Kailangan ng kaunting sakripisyo,” said Fernandez.  (CIO/VDV)

 

MBTF ORDERS FORCED EVACUATION

MAYOR Fernandez had ordered the Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) to conduct forced evacuation of persons and families who would refuse to leave their houses threatened by the onslaught of Typhoon “Ompong”.

Fernandez said force should be applied to those who would refuse to evacuate despite the imminent dangers as seen in the past.

She placed the staff of member agencies on 24/7 duty at the CMDRRMC command center starting Thursday while the Alert and Response Team continuously tracked
the typhoon’s location.

Fernandez earlier suspended classes in all levels, in both public and private schools from Thursday to Saturday.

Residents of Malued and Lasip Chico, led by their barangay captains, laid sandbags on an opening of the Pantal River dike where water from the Enerangan lake and floodwaters from adjacent Calasiao flow.

It was this opened portion of the dike the source of water that flooded Lasip Grande, Pogo Chico and Lucao in the last two floods that hit Dagupan. (Leonardo Micua)

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