MANILA (Aug. 7) XINHUA - Flood waters continued rising as of late Saturday morning in many towns in Central Luzon, the Northern Philippines, despite improved weather condition in the region since Friday morning.
The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) in Central Luzon said that rampaging flood waters flowed over some portions of the Arnedo dike in San Luis, Pampanga Province, since Friday morning, causing floods to rise in Candaba, San Simon, Minalin, Sta. Ana, Apalit, Masantol, Sto. Tomas and Macabebe, all in Pampanga.
The council said that flood waters also started rising since Friday in several villages in Tarlac province following the release of excess rain water from the Binga Dam in Benguet Province.
Floods in San Luis rose to an average of five to six feet Friday night from three to four feet deep Friday morning due to the overflowing of the Arnedo dike, it said.
Emmanuel Guanlao, executive officer of the Pampanga Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), reiterated his appeal to the endangered residents in Pampanga towns to evacuate to safer places.
Several residents in flooded villages, particularly in Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Candaba, San Luis and Macabebe continued to stay in their places, although many of them have been staying on rooftops, he said.
Tarlac Governor Jose Yap reported that at least 20 stranded families in Gerona town were rescued from rooftops by Philippine Army helicopters Friday and evacuated to safer places.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that it has stepped up its relief operations in most of the l,000 flooded villages in Central Luzon.
The torrential monsoon rains in the past week left 93 people dead and thousands of people homeless in the Northern Philippines. Enditem
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Received by NewsEdge Insight: 08/07/1999 03:56:28