LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Police and residents here are watching 24-hours the dikes that protected the capital town from flash floods as 10 more villages here remain underwater.

Supt. Harris Fama, Lingayen police chief, said that the only protection that spared this capital town from severe flooding is the two dikes that were constructed along the southern and northern parts of the town, saying they are praying that the dikes would not be destructed by rampaging waters.

Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino said that almost 80 percent of the province’s central and eastern parts were submerged by floodwaters after the San Roque Dam had released water, hitting various towns in the province.

Fama said that as the police and volunteers are busy assisting evacuees, Mayor Jonas Castañeda, of this town, is almost not sleeping in providing the needs of his constituents and continue the distribution of relief goods to the thousands of evacuees who had temporarily encamped in this town.

Although some low-lying areas here are still impassable to small vehicles, Fama said that the town proper is still passable.

He said, however, that some more villages are still underwater and several roads are still not passable to light vehicles.

“Nahati kasi ang paglalagay ng dikes dito, at ito lamang ang nagpu-protekta sa amin para hindi magkaroon ng pagbaha na gaya ng inabot ng neighboring barangays at mga bayan,” said Fama.

Meanwhile, Rosales Mayor Ric Revita, whose town was one of the worst hit by floods, said that several of his villages are still under water, fearing that there are possibly more victims of drowning in the area.

In another development, the United States Marines sent their helicopters in rescuing victims here, while the Philippine Navy also sent rubber boats and trucks to rescue the stranded residents in Pangasinan.