FLOODS ISOLATE THOUSANDS IN CENTRAL LUZON/ U.S. RELIEF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002149 SENSITIVE SIPDIS BANGKOK FOR USAID /OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR A. DWYER USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA R. THAYER USAID W/ FOR ANE/AA AND DCHA/FPP GENEVA FOR N. KYLOH USUN FOR OFDA REP BRUSSELS FOR P. BROWN ROME FOR USAID/OHA H. SPANOS SECDEF FOR SOLIC JOINT STAFF WASHDC FOR J3/J4/J5 PACOM FOR J3/J4/J5 NSC FOR P. MARCHAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID SOCI PREL KPAO SENV EAGR RP SUBJECT: FLOODS ISOLATE THOUSANDS IN CENTRAL LUZON/ U.S. RELIEF EFFORT BEGINS ANEW REFTELS: A) Manila 2140 -------------- Overflowing Dams Threaten Two Million -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Heavy rains from the lingering Tropical Storm Pepeng (international name Parma) have forced dams in the upper Agno River basin to release large amounts of water that threaten to affect up to two million residents of central Luzon. According to press reports and contacts in the area, the Pantabagan and San Roque dams in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan provinces, respectively, greatly increased spillway flows on October 8, contributing to flooding in 21 municipalities in the four provinces of Pangasinan, La Union, Nueva Ecija, and Benguet. Over sixty percent of Pangasinan province is affected by the flooding, with large areas under eight to ten feet of water. Governor of Pangasinan province Amado Espino Jr. told reporters that as of early October 9, 30,000 people were in evacuation centers and thousands more were stranded on rooftops. He noted that flood waters had damaged or submerged all of the bridges and roads linking Pangasinan to neighboring provinces, effectively isolating the area. -------------- USG Responds to GRP Request for Aid -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) responded overnight to an October 8 request for flood relief assistance from The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who is concurrently head of the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council, endorsed the request. Many of the military personnel and land, sea, and air assets that the United States will contribute to the current rescue/relief effort were deployed in Typhoon Ondoy assistance operations. Seven seven-ton trucks and two dump trucks from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are transporting eight rubber boats from Manila to heavily-hit Tarlac province, while a KC 130 Hercules aircraft and U.S. Marine Sea Stallion helicopters will transport relief supplies and conduct air rescue missions. The USS Harper's Ferry and USS Tortuga are in the vicinity of the Lingayen Gulf (which borders two of the impacted provinces, including most severely hit Pangasinan) with 18 rubber boats, two Sea Stallion helicopters, as well as medical and water-production capacity. -------------- USAID Assistance -------------- ¶3. (SBU) USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is providing an additional $2 million in grants to international and non-governmental organizations who will provide emergency humanitarian assistance to communities in central and northern Luzon affected by flooding in the wake of Typhoon Pepeng/Parma and Tropical Storm Ondoy/Ketsana. ¶4. (SBU) This new assistance is in addition to $1.9 million in grants and $400,000 in non-food items donated by USAID/OFDA in response to the crisis caused by Tropical Storm Ondoy. These funds will support priorities in water, sanitation and hygiene activities, additional non-food items, and logistical support for the delivery of food. The on-site OFDA military liaison is focusing on determining the extent of damage in northern and central Luzon. Given the water and sanitation concerns, OFDA is considering sending a specialist to address these issues. ¶5. (SBU) The Consular section reports 1,999 registered Americans living in hard-hit Pangasinan province. Staff has received two requests for aid during Tropical Storm Pepeng/Parma, one each from Pangasinan and La Union provinces. Staff has advised them to proceed to the nearest evacuation centers as the Embassy cannot provide helicopters or other means of rescue. Consular staff MANILA 00002149 002 OF 002 informed the National Disaster Coordinating Council and local authorities about these families. -------------- Weather Prognosis -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Tropical Storm Parma/Pepeng's center has moved west of Luzon and is predicted to continue moving in that direction. It is likely to bring one more day of rain to areas of northwest and central Luzon today before moving further west towards China's Hainan Island. Tropical Depression 21 is now north of Guam and is predicted to continue moving north, meaning it would not threaten the Philippines. Bassett