Over 1,000 Olongapo City folk forced to evacuate due flooding

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — Over 1,000 Olongapo City residents were forced to seek shelter in safer, higher areas on Saturday as widespread flooding hounded the city amid persistent monsoon rains.

Data from the Olongapo City Information Center showed that 1,395 individuals from 452 families were staying in evacuation centers as of 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

Some affected residents were forced to stay outside designated evacuation centers, according to city authorities.

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Flooding also left residents stranded in several parts of the city on Friday night as water levels in rivers continued to rise and eventually reached spilling levels.

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The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the southwest monsoon or “habagat”, continued to affect Luzon, including Olongapo City.

Pagasa is also monitoring a low-pressure area located 520 kilometers north-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of Saturday.

Zambales was among areas forecast to receive 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall from Saturday to Monday, according to Pagasa.

Photos provided by Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. showed residents stranded by floodwaters in several parts of the city on Friday night.