LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Five more persons were reported Friday to have drowned in Bayambang town, bringing to 62 the number of casualties in the province.

Butch Velasco, provincial public information officer, identified the newly discovered victims as Ejay Padua of Manambong Parte, Edmund Paragas of Bani, Guillerma Dacagan of Bacnono, Elmer Menguin, and William Camacho of Partagos, all of Bayambang town.

Earlier, the National Power Corporation (Napocor) had released the improved and amended Interim Protocol for water releases at the San Roque Dam.

Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council chief Paterno Orduna said a copy of the said protocol was forwarded to his office on October 21 by the Napocor, stressing that the said communication was immediately disseminated to all local government units for them to inform the people.

“Sana naging malinaw na ito noon pa although na-disseminate na namin yong kopya ng protocol na pinadala ng Napocor sa mga LGU para magkaroon sila ng idea tungkol dito at maiwasan ang pangyayaring katulad ng nakaraang bagyo,” Orduna said.

The recent deluge that struck Pangasinan, according to the PDCC, eventually served as an eye-opener to the agencies involved, specifically Napocor, thus coming up with an improved interim protocol governing water release in its dam.

Meanwhile, Mayor Jonas Castañeda of this town appealed for more help from various national agencies and non-governmental organizations since thousands of his displaced constituents are badly in need of help.

He said that several low-lying barangays in his town are still flooded.