Transportation
Tarlac City Under Orange Flood Warning as Bridge Rescue Search Continues
Tarlac City remains under an orange rainfall warning early Sunday, with flooding threatening, Aquino and Agana bridges closed, a major Aquino Boulevard sinkhole, evacuations and an active search for four missing vehicle occupants.
Breaking News
Tarlac City remained under an Orange rainfall warning early Sunday as flooding continued to threaten low-lying areas, two major bridges stayed closed, a large sinkhole widened beside Aquino Boulevard and rescuers searched the Tarlac River for four people missing after the Agana Bridge collapse.
Updated at 6:05 a.m. Philippine time on August 30, 2026. Conditions are changing quickly.
Immediate warning: Do not approach Aquino Bridge, Agana Bridge, the Cutcut I sinkhole, damaged dikes or the Tarlac River banks. Do not enter floodwater or cross barricades.
Current Tarlac City status
- Rainfall warning: Orange. PAGASA says flooding is still threatening.
- Aquino Bridge: Collapsed section, closed to all traffic.
- Agana Bridge: Collapsed section, closed to all traffic.
- Agana rescue search: One person rescued. The latest official count says four occupants remain missing.
- Aquino Boulevard at Cutcut I: Large sinkhole and widening pavement cracks. Keep away.
- Evacuations: Families have been moved from San Isidro, Tibag, Burot and San Luis.
- Temporary shelter: Tarlac City Plazuela Hall is open for stranded residents.
Orange warning means flooding is still threatening
PAGASA Heavy Rainfall Warning No. 21, issued at 5 a.m. Sunday, placed Tarlac City under the Orange warning level. The warning also covered Concepcion, Anao, Gerona, La Paz, Paniqui, Pura, Ramos, San Manuel, Victoria, Camiling, Moncada and Santa Ignacia.
Several western Tarlac municipalities remained under the more severe Red warning. PAGASA’s national forecast called for monsoon rain over Tarlac, with possible flash floods and landslides from heavy to intense rainfall. No citywide all-clear had been issued as of this update.
Rescue search continues after Agana Bridge collapse
Agana Bridge in Barangay Tibag collapsed at approximately 8:32 p.m. Saturday, according to the Tarlac City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. A gray Toyota Avanza carrying three men and two women fell into the river with the bridge.
The latest confirmed report from Tarlac City officials says one occupant was rescued and the search continued for the remaining four. Separate social-media claims about additional missing people had not been officially confirmed by the time of publication.
The collapse came less than 24 hours after a section of Aquino Bridge failed. The two closures removed the city’s normal western river crossings and forced traffic onto much longer routes. Read the earlier MyPHLife bridge-collapse report for the initial sequence of events.
Sinkhole widens beside Aquino Boulevard
A major sinkhole opened along the Cutcut I section of the dike beside Aquino Boulevard, near the damaged Aquino Bridge. A local inspection report described the opening as approximately 12 meters long and 5 meters deep. Cracks extend through the surrounding pavement, and continued rain and river erosion could make the area more unstable.
Evacuations, water disruption and relief operations
Emergency workers carried out preemptive evacuations involving approximately 60 families from San Isidro and Tibag, seven families from Burot and two families from San Luis, according to a local response summary. City crews continued sandbagging and pumping operations.
Damage to water lines attached to Aquino Bridge caused low pressure or interruptions in San Isidro, Tibag, Baras-Baras, Dolores, Care and Sapang Maragul. Water trucks were deployed while repairs and bridge assessments continued.
Official alternate routes and new restrictions
The Provincial Government of Tarlac published five possible detour corridors after both bridges closed. Drivers should plan for long delays and follow police, road signs and live barricades rather than relying only on navigation applications.
- Capas to San Jose through Palublub Bridge.
- San Jose to Santa Ignacia and Camiling.
- Santa Ignacia to Pura through Tagumbao Bridge.
- Camiling to Ramos through Barangobong Bridge.
- SCTEX or Concepcion to Victoria, Pura and Ramos.
Important later restriction: Gerona’s municipal government subsequently limited both Tagumbao Bridge and San Bartolome Bridge to light vehicles only after inspection. Heavy vehicles must avoid those bridges and use another authorized route. The restriction is precautionary and is not confirmation that either Gerona bridge has collapsed or is about to collapse. Gerona official advisory.
The Paniqui-Camiling road through Barangay Mabilang reopened to light vehicles after an earlier flooding restriction, but conditions can change rapidly. Paniqui reopening notice.
Temporary Aquino Bridge connection planned
The Department of Public Works and Highways said it intends to install a temporary steel structure to reconnect Aquino Bridge. Work cannot safely begin until the Tarlac River subsides enough for engineers and equipment to operate. No reopening date had been announced. DPWH temporary-bridge report.
Confirmed versus unverified
Confirmed: Tarlac City’s Orange warning, the complete closure of Aquino and Agana bridges, one rescued occupant and four missing from the reported Avanza, the Cutcut I sinkhole, evacuations, water-service disruption, the Plazuela shelter and the Gerona light-vehicle restrictions.
Not confirmed: Claims that a third bridge has collapsed, that a Paniqui bridge has failed, or that the restricted Gerona bridges are expected to fall. Residents should share official advisories rather than unsupported collapse claims.
Emergency contacts
- Tarlac City CDRRMO: 0921-930-0047 or (045) 470-8647
- Tarlac City Fire Station: 0991-512-4752, (045) 982-1356 or (045) 606-0329
- Tarlac City Police Station: 0998-598-5494
MyPHLife will continue updating this report as authorities release verified rescue, rainfall, road-access and engineering information.