Cablegate: Floods Isolate Thousands in Central Luzon/ U.S. Relief

VZCZCXRO6463
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #2149/01 2820910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090910Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5414
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHOVQHS/COMSEVENTHFLT IMMEDIATE
INFO RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 2304
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0328
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHRO/USMISSION UN ROME IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE

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

© Scoop Media