Aurora remains isolated from the rest of Central Luzon
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/24/2008 8:23 PM
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CAMP OLIVAS, PAMPANGA - Aurora province remains isolated from the rest of Central Luzon due to landslides and widespread flooding brought about by continuous rains over the weekend.
This was the situation given by the Aurora province’s governor as she pleaded for help from the national government and non-government organizations.
Gov. Bella Flor Angara-Castillo said thousands of families in three low-lying towns including Casiguran, Dingalan, and Dilasag have been affected by moderate to heavy rains brought by the recent low-pressure area.
She said the entire central portion of the province have been isolated from the rest of Central Luzon as the main roads linking the Baler-Casiguran highway has yet to be cleared of boulders and landslides.
"The affected areas are from central to northern part of the province," said Angara-Castillo during an interview with a local radio station Sunday.
Almost the entire province, Angara-Castillo said, was submerged in floodwaters in varying degrees. She said flood in low-lying areas has yet to subside as of press time.
The governor has appealed for help from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD and different non-government organizations to send relief goods as clearing of the affected roads has yet to be started by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
"Our immediate needs now are food stuffs as goods and other merchandisers cannot get through to our province due to road blockade brought by landslide," Angara-Castillo pleaded.
Some of the affected residents in low-lying villages in our province, the governor said were evacuated to safer grounds at the height of widespread flooding over the weekend, however, some of them have returned back to their places on Saturday.
She said the local chief executives of the affected towns have already placed their municipalities under the states of calamity due to widespread flooding.
DPWH personnel, Angara-Castillo said have already coordinated with her office for the clearing operations but bad weather hampered their operation. She said they will immediately undertake the road clearing once the weather improve.
Regional Disaster Coordinating Council 3 (RCC3) chairman Chief Superintendent Leonilo de la Cruz meanwhile said he has directed the Aurora police chief headed by Senior Superintendent Romeo Teope to coordinate with the governor and offer whatever assistance the agency could give.
"I instructed the provincial director of Aurora to assist the local government units in clearing the roads of debris so that goods and merchant could gain access to the places which were isolated by landslides," said De la Cruz.
"Kung kinakailangang magpadala tayo ng karagdagang tao para tumulong sa clearing ng kalsada ay gagawin natin para makapasok sa lalawigan ang mga sasakyan na may dalang pagkain," De la Cruz added. - Jess Malabanan
