IBA, Zambales — Residents continue to evacuate their homes across the province as heavy rains continue to trigger floodings in low-lying communities in Zambales.

According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, a total of 2,441 families composed of 7,046 individuals have relocated to evacuation centers or seek shelter with relatives as of 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 10.

Of these, 1,621 families composed of 4,706 persons remained in evacuation centers, mostly barangay halls, local schools, and other government facilities.

On Monday, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. also ordered the preemptive evacuation of residents in Barangay San Juan, Botolan, Zambales after inspecting a collapsed portion of a dike that shields at least six barangays from the lahar-filled Bucao River.

He also urged residents in areas near the river to take extreme precaution and be prepared for contingencies.

He said the provincial government is undertaking remedial measures to repair the damaged portion of the Bucao River Dike and prevent the swollen river from breaching the structure.

PDRRMO head Rolex Estella said some residents were forced to evacuate as early as Wednesday last week, August 5, after floodwaters rose up to more than waist-level in some areas across the province, the result of heavy southwest monsoon rains or habagat whipped up by Typhoons “Luis” that entered the country on August 3.

The evacuation continued when Typhoon “Maymay” made landfall on August 6, Thursday.

📸 Evacuees partake of soup at a schoolroom in Botolan, Zambales, August 9 (Botolan LGU)

The PDRRMO initially recorded total evacuees at 1,279 families or 3,810 individuals by 6:00 p.m. on August 9, then growing to 1,698 families and 4,809 individuals at 10:00 p.m. on the same day.

By 11:00 a.m. on August 10, the number of evacuees further increased to 2,251 families or 6,466 individuals, and then to 2,441 families or 7,046 persons by :300 p.m. on Monday.

In the same situation update, the PDRRMO said a total of P1.3 million have been reported lost to 151 palay farmers, as a total of 163.32 hectares of rice farms were affected by floods.

The initial damage assessment listed 2.2 hectares (has.) in Subic, with losses placed at P11,058; 4.79 has. in San Antonio with P31,142 damage; 60.09 has, in Botolan, P390,451; 8.5 has. in Iba, P25,608; 11.55 has. in Candelaria, P207,951; and 138.93 has. in Sta. Cruz, with losses at P640,125.

Meanwhile, one banca was totally destroyed in Cabangan, with losses placed at P22,000, while another was partially damaged in San Antonio at P3,000. Five fishing nets worth P5,500 were also damaged in Candelaria. – Taktikom News & Features

TOP 📸: [1] Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. (middle), along with Botolan Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane (left) and Engr. Domingo Mariano, inspects the Bucao River Dike in Botolan, Zambales on August 10 (Botolan LGU)