Another flashflood?
Have you heard news from your respective folks in Infanta?
According to a news item in The Philippine Daily Inquirer of 12 December 2006, the waters in Agos River started to rise and there are even waters in the Infanta Public Market.
Below is the news item which I reproduced from the PDI.
Rudy
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Fears of another flashflood
By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Inquirer
Last updated 06:50pm (Mla time) 12/11/2006
LUCENA CITY -- Fearful of another flashflood from Agos River, residents living along the riverbank and low lying areas scampered to higher grounds after continuous rains caused flooding in this town Sunday evening, according to an Infanta town official.
Mayor Grace America said people started to evacuate and sought shelter in the village halls, the Infanta municipal hall, tall commercial buildings and their friends' houses after water started to flood some parts of the town.
"We have knee-deep waters in some low spots particularly in the vicinity of the public market area due to continuous rains the whole day. The rise in the water level was aggravated by the high tide," America said in a phone interview past midnight Monday.
America said they had been monitoring the flood to warn more villages along river banks of possible forced evacuation. "So far, the flooding was only in some isolated areas," she said.
She said they warned residents living in low-lying areas to remain vigilant and observe all safety measures.
America said they had been monitoring the condition of Agos River the whole evening Sunday and the municipal disaster coordinating council was alerted and placed on standby status in case of any emergency.
Agos River has been re-channeled, lessening the danger of possible flash floods in Infanta town. It has now two channels running towards the Pacific Ocean.
Catholic priest Pete Montallana, coordinator of the Indigenous Peoples' Apostolate in the Prelature of Infanta and director of the Tribal Center for Development, said the water level in the place where he was staying near Agos River had reached three feet deep as of Monday.
"Pray," he said in his message.
In a follow-up mobile phone call, Montallana said the water started to rise around 7:00 p.m. Sunday.
"But this is no flash flood. The rise of water level is slow, But just the same, it is enough to evoke fear reminiscent of the 2004 tragedy," the priest said.
The priest was referring to the evening of Nov. 29, 2004, when close to 1,000 died and millions of pesos worth of properties were destroyed when the Agos River between Infanta and General Nakar overflowed following days of four successive typhoons.
The towns were inundated with mud and water, as huge logs and other forest debris tumbled down the Sierra Madre.
Massive logging in the Sierra Madre mountain ranges had been blamed for the tragedy.