As of 6:00 p.m. on July 21, PAGASA has issued Flood Bulletin No. 2 for the Pampanga river Basin, raising a critical and above alarm water level (WL) over the Candaba Swamp and Mid Pampanga River in Arayat, respectively.

Forecasted to remain at the critical WL until tomorrow morning, a slow but continuous filling-up of water is observed in the Candaba Swamp, which is now at 5.07 meters.

Meanwhile, the Mid Pampanga River in Arayat has risen to 6.68 meters, placing it above alarm level. PAGASA noted that while a slow rise is observed, it is less likely to reach Arayat’s critical WL of 8.50 meters by tomorrow morning.

A below alert WL has also been raised over the Pasac-Guagua River in Sasmuan, the Mid Pampanga River in San Isidro, and the Lower Pampanga River in Sulipan, with water levels now receding.

PAGASA warns that water from the upper parts of the Main Pampanga River is flowing downstream and may lead to flooding in riverside areas of Apalit, Macabebe, Masantol, Calumpit, Paombong, and Hagonoy.

Flooding, which has resulted in partly submerged roads and farmlands, has already started to affect Minalin, Guagua, Sasmuan, Lubao, Santo Tomas, and other nearby towns.

“The public and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMOs) along the main Pampanga River are advised to undertake preparedness & response activities to mitigate the immediate and ongoing impacts of the prevailing hazards,” PAGASA stated in its official bulletin.