BLUE ALERT. Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel prepare rescue equipment amid the continuing torrential rains in this file photo on July 17, 2023. The province is again under blue alert status due to Typhoon Egay. (Photo courtesy of PDRRMO Facebook page)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is urging the public to avoid swimming in the ocean or river during weather disturbances as two drowning incidents have been recorded over the weekend in the province.
In an interview on Monday, Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) operations and training head Vincent Chu said they are gathering data and information to verify if these will be classified as typhoon-related incidents.
Based on the report of the Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO-1), the victims were identified as Salin Buyagan Butag, 71, a resident of La Trinidad town, Benguet province; and Raymond Bailon De Vera, 22, a resident of Manaoag town, Pangasinan.
Butag was at a resort in Barangay Patar Bolinao town, Pangasinan with her family when she drowned after she was hit by huge waves. Meanwhile, De Vera drowned in the deep portion of the sea at Sitio Cabongaon Barangay Ilio-Ilio Burgos town, Pangasinan.
The separate incidents happened on Sunday (July 23).
Chu said the enhanced southwest monsoon due to Typhoon Egay, has brought big waves at the sea.
“We discourage swimming and even setting sail of our fisherfolk as waves are high due to the typhoon,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PDRRMO is under blue alert status which may be upgraded to red alert by the Office of the Civil Defense as the province is now under tropical cyclone wind signal Number 1 as of Monday.
Chu said personnel and rescue equipment are on standby as the concerned government agencies have already conducted pre-disaster assessment meetings last Friday (July 21).
“According to the weather bureau, Egay will bring rain to the province starting tomorrow or on Wednesday. Although we are not in the direct track of the typhoon, it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon,” he said.
The center or the eye of Typhoon Egay was estimated at 525 kilometers East of Baler town, Aurora province with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gustiness of up to 185 km/h, and moving westward slowly according to the weather bureau’s advisory as of 11 a.m. (PNA)
