PHP100M damage, evacuations in Pangasinan, La Union due to heavy rains

Heavy rainfall from the southwest monsoon (habagat) enhanced by Typhoon Carina caused PHP100 million in damage to agriculture and infrastructure in Pangasinan and La Union, affecting around 12,637 families or 44,483 individuals.

Damage includes PHP8.8 million for agriculture and PHP91 million for infrastructure, with high-value commercial crops suffering PHP4.3 million worth of damage.

Floodwaters in Bani, Labrador, Mangatarem towns, and the cities of Urdaneta and Alaminos prompted the evacuation of around 213 families, while several areas remain submerged in up to three feet of water.

Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III and La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David have suspended classes at all levels and work in government offices on Friday as a precautionary measure.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing for two missing individuals in Bauang town, while an 11-year-old resident died after being hit by a fallen tree in Bacnotan town.

The Marusay-Sinucalan River rose close to the critical level of 8 feet on Friday morning, prompting local authorities to remove blockages from the river and evacuate residents near fields and creeks.