With the improvement of weather condition in the past few days, the situation in the province of Pampanga is slowly going back to normal except for some municipalities in the fourth district which still remain flooded.
This was contained in the latest report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) based on their continuous monitoring and assessment activities throughout the province.
The PDRRMC reported that low-lying barangays in the municipalities of Macabebe, Masantol, Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Minalin and Sto. Tomas are still under floodwaters rendering portions of their major roads not passable to light vehicles.
Meanwhile, as floodwater in affected areas subside, hundreds of families who opted to camp out along the Arayat-Apalit setback levee have started to return to their respective houses located along the Arnedo Dike of the Pampanga River.
The Pampanga Electric Cooperative has also started to restore power in the typhoon-affected areas, the PDRRMC further reported.
Typhoon Pedring affected a total of 99,950 families or 458,058 individuals in various municipalities of the province. Most of these affected families live along the Arnedo Dike and the Pampanga River setback levee, 14,422 families of which are from barangays Tabuyoc, Cansinala, Capalangan and Sucad in Apalit while 12,055 are from barangays San Pedro, Sta. Cruz, San Nicolas, San Juan and San Miguel in San Simon town.
Agricultural damage is estimated at P1.33 billion with palay as the most affected crop valued at P1.28 billion covering around 29,080 hectares of rice farms and affecting 18,350 farmers. High value commercial crops damage is estimated at P12 million with 210 hectares of vegetable crops and 440 farmers affected. For corn, an estimated damage of P114,367 was also reported.
To date, damaged bridges, dikes and other infrastructures are estimated at P150 million which include the Gugu bridge in Bacolor; Arnedo Dike from Arayat to Apalit; Caulaman River and portion of Gumain River in Floridablanca; Matubig Creek in Sta. Ana and the tail dike in Minalin.
Governor Lilia G. Pineda, together with the PDRRMC, board members and concerned department heads of the provincial capitol, continuously conducts on site monitoring and assessment of affected municipalities throughout the province. (Pampanga PIO)
