Villages inundated by Tropical Storm Danas, leaving 28 underwater
In a devastating turn of events, Severe Tropical Storm Danas (known as Typhoon Egay in reports) and the Southwest Monsoon have wreaked havoc in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. As of July 6, 2025, approximately 222 barangays in 16 municipalities are submerged in floodwaters, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
The heavy rains brought by the storm and the monsoon have caused flooding in at least 28 barangays in three towns in Pampanga, with San Isidro in Minalin town recording two feet high floodwaters. The flooding has been so significant that several towns, including Macabebe, San Simon, Sto. Tomas, and San Luis, have declared a state of calamity.
Situational reports confirm that various barangays, such as Alauli in Masantol and several in Macabebe like Batasan and Mataguiti, are still grappling with the flood conditions. The flooded villages in Masantol include Alualai, Bagang, Balibago, Nigui, Sagrada, Sapang Kawayan, Santa Lucia Anac, Santa Lucia Paguiaba, San Isidro Anac, San Nicolas, Bebe Anac, Palimpe, and Santa Cruz.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office reported that 14,416 families or 44,834 individuals have been affected by the flooding. To date, at least 25,000 families from the coastal towns of Macabebe, Masantol, and Minalin are displaced. In Macabebe town alone, at least three feet of floodwaters have been recorded in some areas, such as San Gabriel and Mataguiti.
Furthermore, five barangays in Macabebe town, including Saplad, Tacasan, and Batasan, are also flooded. Thirteen barangays in Masantol town are submerged, with some areas experiencing two to three feet of floodwaters. The barangays of Santa Catalina, San Francisco I, San Francisco II, San Nicolas, Santo Rosario, Bulac, Dawe, Maniago, Saplad, and San Isidro recorded one to 1.5 feet high floodwaters.
One family in Masantol town, consisting of seven individuals, was evacuated to the Barangay Santa Monica Health Center over the weekend. As the situation continues to unfold, emergency responses are being mobilised to aid the affected communities. The people of Pampanga face a challenging road ahead, but their resilience remains unwavering in the face of adversity.
The heavy rains and flooding caused by Typhoon Egay and the Southwest Monsoon have disrupted environmental-science studies in Pampanga, as schools and research facilities are submerged in floodwaters. The climate-change impact on weather patterns in the region may exacerbate such disasters, necessitating increased investment in science to better predict and mitigate such events. Health concerns arise from the unsanitary conditions caused by the floodwaters, with incidents like the evacuation of a family to the Barangay Santa Monica Health Center already reported.
