By Franco Regala
Some 2,237 families or 7,437 individuals mostly from Bataan province and Bulacan have been evacuated due to floods brought by 'Henry' and 'Inday', according to the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3).
Chief Supt. Amador V. Corpus, Central Luzon police director said that 2000 evacuees were from the Province of Bataan in the municipalities of Morong, Pilar, Hermosa, Orion, Dinalupihan and Balanga City, and the rest were from Bulacan and Zambales.
Corpus said that Central Luzon police have been relentless in its rescue operations on flood-stricken municipalities of the different provinces regionwide as heavy downpours caused by the storms continue to hit Region 3.
"Rescue operations started yesterday as floodwaters began to rise-up raging from waist deep to 5 feet high in the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Pampanga, and Zambales,'' said Corpus, adding that the PNP-PRO3 is equipped with rubber boats that they use for rescue during emergencies.
He said that a total 377 families stranded from their inundated homes were rescued by the PNP Search and Rescue personnel during the height of the storm.
Residents staying from their rooftops who recently refused to leave their personal belongings due to fear of burglars were also persuaded to evacuate to a safer ground, said Corpus.
“I have directed all our SAR Team to conduct rescue and even search operations for stranded families, particularly on still-inaccessible areas. I have also given orders to our personnel to keep an eye on criminal elements especially looters and profiteers who may take advantage of the situation,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) said that some 23 houses in Region 3 were reported partially damaged. Also, two landslides were reported in Olongapo City, Zambales.
The second landslide took place on July 15 at 36 Navarro St., Upper Woodhouse, Gordon Heights, Olongapo City which caused part of a garage to collapse.