FORCED EVACUATION IN P'SINAN

Lingayen, Pangasinan – Governor Amado I. Espino, III directed the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC)for a massive deployment of rescue trucks in Eastern Pangasinan for forced evacuation in areas along the Agno river and its tributaries due to sudden rise of water elevation of the San Roque Dam brought about by the intense rains dumped by typhoon “Ompong.”

A team of responders from  the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) La Union is deployed in Dagupan City in the previous calamity to conduct rescue operations to flood victims. (Photo courtesy of PDRRMC La Union)

To ensure safety of the residents along the Agno River, Governor Espino also tapped the support of the police, the Philippine Army, the LGUs along the Agno River and private individuals for augmentation of rescue equipment and manpower.

Early afternoon of September 15, the National Power Corporation (NPC), released information on the discharge of water from the San Roque dam at 5PM today, as it cautioned localities along the Agno River to take necessary measures to prevent hazards.

“Sa patuloy na malakas na pagdaloy ng tubig at para mapigilan ang biglaang pagtaas ng lebel ng tubig sa San Roque dam, magsasagawa na ng paunti-unting pagpapakawala ng tubig mula 5PM,” the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) explained in their public advisory.

At 5PM today, September 15, SRPC opened one gate at .5M opening with an outflow to its spill gates by 344 cubic meters per second (cms).

The SRPC advisory noted that the outflow will be adjusted depending on the amount of inflow in the coming hours to maintain the reservoir elevation at safe level.

As of 4PM, current water level of the San Roque dam was at 281.06meters above sea level (masl),while the water inflow was 5,410 cms and the outflow at 273 cms.

From 5 pm to 7pm, the inflow has been going down, while the outflow was going up, but the water elevation was still increasing. (See graph)

However, according to PDRRMO Chief Rhodyn Luchinvar Oro, the NPC has assured the provincial government which is closely monitoring the rate of inflow/outflow of San Roque Dam that the water level will eventually go down as the rains have stopped and the inflow is steadily decreasing.

“At first, we focused our attention on the coastal areas due to possible adverse impact of storm surge, but now we are focusing our resources to the Agno River and its tributaries due to the water discharge from the San Roque Dam,” Governor Espino said in a phone-patched interview over a radio station.

Govenor Espino said that the residents who are living along the Agno River should now evacuate for their own safety.

“Nakikiusap po ako sa ating mga kababayan na kapag kayo po ay pinakiusapan ng inyong MDRRMCs na lumikas, sumunod po tayo kaagad para po sa inyong kaligtasan,” the governor said.

ALARMING?

COLUMNIST MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA: Is this alarming Environmentalist and Professor Nick Melecio and former NIA Regional Manager John Celeste?

In the August 2018’s typhoon and incessant torrential rainfalls, Pangasinan’s Provincial Information Officer Butch Velasco wrote this excerpt: “According to the NPC, the Agno River has the capacity to hold 1,400 cms from dam waters which means that the mighty Agno River remains safe and will not overflow”
At his Dam Watch’s poster at predawn today it showed there (or here under) that the outflow of the floodwater from the four gates of San Roque Dam is 2,427 cms. What say you sirs ?

ENG. CELESTE: The cross sections of Agno River is not uniform. Wider sections may accomodate the volume of water while narrower sections may not. Hoping that all river banks are in good condition. Otherwise, some sections will collapse and cause tremendous damages. We know that DPWH know the status of said dikes.

PROF. MELECIO: OUTFLOW OF 2,427CMS IS BEYOND THE CAP/LIMIT OF 1,400 CMS ESTIMATED LOAD FOR THE 7.5 KILOMETER GAP ALONG THE SAN MANUEL- ASINGAN SECTION OF AGNO RIVER WTHOUT PROTECTION DIKES. PRECISELY THAT IS WHAT ARFC PHASE 3 PROJECT IS ALL ABOUT BUT WHICH IS NOT YET IMPLEMENTED BY DPWH UP TO NOW! OTHERWISE ANYTHING ABOVE THE 1400 SPILLWAY CAP/LIMIT WILL CAUSE OVERBANKING ALONG THE GAP AND WILL PASS THRU THE MITURA RIVER-TRIBUTARY OF PANTAL-SINOCALAN RIVER CONSEQUENTLY FLOODING STA BARBARA,CALASIAO AND DAGUPAN.

WHOEVER DOES KNOW THIS YET UP TO NOW IS SIMPLY DUMB!

TO "MODULATE" THE "RESERVOIR WATER LEVEL" THEY SHOULD FOLLOW THE "RULE CURVE" ELEVATION" AS INDICATED IN THE "DAM STATUS REPORT" PUBLISHED IN THE INTERNET BY PAGASA-DOST. WHY ARE THEY NOT FOLLOWING PROTOCOL? SANAMAGAN !

CELE