Although the rains have stopped for at least three days, large areas in Northern and Central Luzon remain under deep water Monday from overflowing rivers after dams in the two regions released water at the height of typhoon “Pepeng,” authorities said.

The towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan, particularly low-lying villages, remained submerged in chest deep waters from the overflowing Candaba Swamp and Pampanga River.

"Grabe na yata ang parusa sa atin ng Inang Kalikasan, nagkalat na ang tao at mga gamit sa kalsada dahil sa pagtakas sa baha gayong wala namang ulan," a group of residents said.

The Bulacan 566 Emergency Center of the Provincial Disaster Management Office (PDMO) said floods have already reached Hagonoy and submerged the villages of San Miguel,  Palapat, Carillo, San Juan, San Isidro and Tampok.

Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza and Senior Supt. Diosdado G. Ramos, acting provincial police director, have dispatched rescue teams equipped with rubber boats and jet skis in the towns.

“Noong isang araw pa lang nang umuuho ang tubig sa Hagonoy ay nag-deploy na agad si governor ng rescue teams," said Perlita Mendoza, the provincial administrator.

The low-lying towns of Hagonoy and Calumpit, located along coastal areas of Manila Bay, have become the perennial catch basin for floodwaters descending from the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.

“Kapag umapaw ang Candaba Swamp at Pampanga River dahil sa baha na galing Pampanga, Nueva Ecija at Tarlac, palagi nang umuuho ang tubig baha at nilulubog ang mga mabababang lugar sa Calumpit at Hagonoy,” Mendoza said.

Rescue teams evacuated Calumpit residents in barangays Bulusan and San Miguel where flood waters rose up to six feet since early Sunday morning.

Barangays Sapang Bayan, Gugo and Meysulao are also submerged under 3 to 5 feet of water while the villages of Sta. Lucia, San Jose, Gatbuca, Bulusan, San Miguel and Frances are under 3 to 4 feet of flood.

Calumpit Mayor James De Jesus said some residents in the affected villages need relief goods and medicines, since most of them are still reeling from the floods brought by Typhoon Ondoy.

The Office of Civil Defense said eight more fatalities were reported while at least two persons remain missing after being swept away by strong currents in San Simon town in Pampanga and in Nueva Ecija.

In Pampanga, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council said among the fatalities in the province are Aris Punzalan, 25, John Barona, 10, and Rodalyn Macalino, 1. Punzalan and Barona died from electrocution while Macalino drowned outside their house near the Pampanga River in Masantol town.

A retrieval operation is still ongoing for Kenneth Erem who was swept away by flood in San Luis town. A rescue team said Erem is feared dead.

The PDCC said a number of roads in the province are still impassable, particularly the Mapalad National Road in Arayat to Gapan, Nueva Ecija where flood water has reached at least six feet deep.

The Pampanga PDCC said 11 towns are still under water: Masantol, Macabebe, Arayat, Candaba, San Simon, Minalin, Sto. Tomas, Apalit, San Luis, Sta. Ana and San Luis.

In Tarlac, an 81-year old died from cardiac arrest after seeing the strong flood current.

Sandbagging operations and immediate evacuation are being conducted by the Army’s Special Action Force in San Jose, Paniqui, Victoria, La Paz and other towns affected by heavy floods.

In Nueva Ecija, the PDCC and provincial government are still monitoring the Pantabangan Dam.

The Philippine National Police Maritime Force has mobilized four rubber boats to help residents near Pantabangan Dam.

Chief Supt. Leon Nilo Dela Cruz, Central Luzon police director and concurrent RDCC chairman, said some 1,000 families in Calumpit were forced to evacuate while in the town of Candaba, Pampanga some 2,000 families left their homes to escape flood waters.

Residents in Candaba blamed the gradual release of water from Pantabangan Dam for the flooding along the upper Pampanga River from Nueva Ecija, especially the towns of Jaen, Cabiao, and San Antonio and Calumpit in Bulacan.

In Pangasinan, with the weather finally improving, authorities said 30 villages in the province are still under water. The province is where the San Roque Dam is located.

San Roque plant engineer Medel de Jesus assured the residents of Pangasinan that the flood would soon begin to subside since the dam has reduced the volume of water being released.

De Jesus said only two of the dam’s six gates are still open, releasing water at 700 centimeters (on dam's scale) per second.

In San Carlos City in Pangasinan, 73 out of the 86 barangays are submerged Monday.

City Social Welfare and Development Officer Valentina Dumangan said that the flooded areas are Barangay Magtaking with 50 families displaced; Bega, 60 families; Matagdem, 600; Tandoc, 700; Nelintap, 200, Balayong, 300; Quezon Boulevard, 80; Bolingit, 150; Palospos, 200; Caoayan-Kiling, 200; Ilang, 150; Paitan-Panoypoy, 300; Tebag, 60; Balite Sur, 400; Agdao, 250; Antipangol, 450; Pangalangan, 370; Pangpang, 575; Perez, 145; Mabini, 55; Calomboyan, 350, Maliwara, 180; Lucban, 120; Balaya, 600, Doyong, 450; Palaming, 250; Mabalbalino, 480; Bacnar, 65; Guelew, 450; Calobaoan, 15; Palospos, 15 and Quintong, 14.

As of Friday, the number of persons affected by the floods stood at 35,643 in the 32 barangays. Five hundred sixty-one families of barangays Matagdem, Bacnar, Guelew, Calobaoan, Palospos and Quintong were brought to evacuation centers and 1,813 evacuees were brought to safer place.

City Mayor Julier Resuello and CDCC chairman has alerted CDCC members, various local agencies and all department heads concern to be ready to respond round-the-clock in the event that a major calamity will arise.

Meantime, seven pregnant employees and shoppers of SM Rosales in Rosales, Pangasinan were airlifted via a helicopter to the VMUF grounds for safety after the shopping mall was submerged by floods, stranding some 1,000 shoppers and employees. (Reports from Freddie Velez, Franco Regala, Mark Anthony Manuel and Norman Caguioa)