Leaders in several parts of Pampanga ordered forced evacuations over the weekend as rising floodwaters from overflowing rivers and creeks inundated communities and low-lying areas.
As early as Friday, August 28, Governor Lilia Pineda directed municipal and city disaster risk reduction and management councils (DRRMCs) to carry out preemptive evacuation in high-risk upland and coastal areas and other flood-prone communities.
On Saturday, the local government units in Macabebe, Masantol, San Simon, Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Mexico and the City of San Fernando evacuated residents in low-lying areas and communities near dikes as floodwaters rise.
In Minalin and Sto. Tomas, Gugu Creek overflowed and spilled onto the San Fernando-Sto. Tomas-Minalin tail dike.
This prompted Minalin Mayor Phillip Naguit and Sto Tomas Mayor John Sambo to order the forced evacuation of residents in affected areas.
In the City of San Fernando, Mayor Vilma Caluag also ordered the forced evacuation of residents in southern barangays as rainwater accumulated and backflowed from the tail dike.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Sunday morning that 6,286 families, or 20,571 individuals, had evacuated their homes.
The flooding has affected 323,594 families, or 1,035,972 individuals, across the province.
