SAN MANUEL, Pangasinan – One of the structures now being closely monitored after a devastating earthquake hit Abra is the San Roque Dam, the largest hydro installation in South East Asia and third largest in entire Asia.
An official of the San Roque Power Corporation said they are indeed monitoring the colossal dam’s features to determine if there are structural damages.
As of Wednesday there was no reported damage in the dam after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck the northern Philippines at around 8:43 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27. The quake had a depth of 17 kilometers.
“Sa datos ng San Roque Power Corporation, walang naitalang pinsala ang lindol sa San Roque Dam,” said Tommy T. Valdez, Vice President for Corporate Affairs, in his report to the office of Gov. Governor Ramon V. Guico III of Pangasinan.
San Roque Dam, operated under San Roque Multipurpose Project (SRMP) is a 200-meter-tall, 1.2 kilometer long embankment dam on the Agno River. It spans the municipalities of San Manuel and San Nicolas in the province of Pangasinan. It is located about 200 kms north of Metro Manila.
In a statement, the San Roque Power Corp. said it found no structural damage on the dam.
“Wala pong nakita na anumang pagkasira o anumang indikasyon ng pagkasira,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office reported some monitored damages on infrastructure as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
In Rosales, Pangasinan, the following structural damages were seen: SM Employers Entrance (Cracks in ceiling-Minimal Damage), Department of Labor and Employment Building (Cracks in the Wall-Minimal Damage) and Rosales RHU Building (Cracks in the Wall-Minimal Damage).
In San Carlos City, Pangasinan, particularly in Brgy. Coliling: Burnt Electrical Post, Brgy Rizal Avenue (S.P Madrid Bldg); 5-storey building (cracks in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors) (slightly damaged); Brgy Pangoloan Brgy Hall: Cracks in the Wall; Brgy Roxas Blvd Brgy Hall: Cracks in the wall; Brgy Balococ Brgy Hall: Cracks in the Wall and Brgy Abanon Brgy hall: Cracks in the wall.
In Alcala, Pangasinan reported cracks on stairs and walls in Alcala Training Center.
Arboleda National High School: (Cracks on stairs and wall, request for further inspection by DPWH will be made by Municipal Engineering Office of Alcala, Pangasinan); bridge in Brgy Laoac going to Brgy Gualsic-slightly damaged but must be rehabilitated soon according to the engineer.