Five Pangasinan areas declare state of calamity due to flooding

Five areas in Pangasinan, including Dagupan City and the towns of Calasiao, Lingayen, Malasiqui, and Sta. Barbara, have declared a state of calamity due to widespread flooding exacerbated by the southwest monsoon.

In Calasiao, 17 out of 24 villages experienced heavy flooding, displacing approximately 18,000 residents.

Lingayen and Sta. Barbara declared a state of calamity to facilitate the release of funds for relief and emergency aid.

Malasiqui reported flooding in 15 barangays, affecting 80 percent of its ricelands, with ongoing evacuations.

Dagupan City, where all 31 barangays have been inundated, has 1,279 individuals in evacuation centers, with key roads rendered impassable.

Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez stated that no areas were spared from the flooding and called for more public schools to open their gates for evacuees as the Astrodome reached capacity.

Flooding in Dagupan intensified Sunday night, July 20, due to a 4.1-foot high tide and overflow from the Sinocalan and Marusay Rivers, exacerbated by continuous rain and upstream runoff.