Floods affect more than 500,000 in Central Luzon

MANILA, Philippines - More than than half a million people in Central Luzon are affected by floods caused by tropical storm "Falcon," the social welfare department said Saturday.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said as of 7 p.m. Saturday, the storm has affected 112,515 families, or 550,686 people in Pampanga, Zambales, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, and Tarlac provinces.

Seventy-eight evacuation centers are now serving as emergency shelter for 28,935 people in the region, the DSWD added.

In Bulacan, heavy rains and floods affected 28,844 families from 16 municipalities and 3 cities, according to the provincial government.

Provincial Administrator Jim Valerio said that as of Saturday, 10 barangays in Bocaue experienced flooding, resulting in 2,675 people having to be evacuated to nearest schools and a chapel.

"Same thing happened in the City of Meycauayan where 19 barangays were affected and 1,679 persons were also evacuated," he said in a press statement.

Around 345 families from Pulilan were also evacuated due to heavy rains.

A tornado also struck 4 barangays in Marilao and Meycauayan, local officials said.

An initial report from provincial agriculture officer Gigi Carrillo stated that the storm affected 4,000 hectares of rice fields,  and 3,600 hectares of fisheries.

Governo. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado said local officials are also closely monitoring the water level of Angat Dam after it rose to 200.15 meters, which is near its 212m spilling level.

The Ipo Dam's water level measured 101.01m as of 9 a.m. Saturday.  Water from the dam is being released until it reaches normal level, the provincial government said.