Navotas residents evacuate as another part of river wall collapses

Residents along Celest Street in Barangay San Jose, Navotas City were evacuated on Thursday after another portion of the river wall got damaged amid the inclement weather, according to Mayor John Rey Tiangco.

“Nandito tayo ngayon sa Celest dahil nagre-rescue ang mga kasamahan natin dito. Dahil meron na naman, ‘yung kabilang pader na bumagsak,” Navotas City Mayor said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We are now here at Celest as our teams rescue residents because another part of the wall collapsed.) 

“Ito, lalong bumilis ‘yung agos ng tubig papasok doon sa kabahayan kaya’t nagre-rescue tayo,” he added.

(Due to this, the flow of water to the houses got faster. That’s why we’re rescuing residents.) 

Last month, the same three-meter wall in Navotas City collapsed as a result of waters from the high tide. A house was heavily damaged while five others were affected prompting the evacuation of about 43 families or 180 individuals.

#BantayPanahon: Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Navotas, nanawagan sa mga residente na lumikas na sa gitna ng nararanasan na malakas na hampas ng alon na sinabayan pa ng high tide. | via @allangatus pic.twitter.com/rY2LTFHD49

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) July 24, 2025

Tiangco said that the high tide level may rise up to three meters, which may cause above waist-deep floods in some areas. 

“Actually, ‘yung mga kalye dito sa District 2, basta high tide dahil sira nga ‘yung navigational gate, apektado. Kaya lang bumababa ‘yan pagka hapon na…except ‘yung Tanza dahil doon talaaga ang apektado,” he explained.

(All the streets here in District 2 are affected when there is high tide because the navigational gate is broken. The flood subsides in the afternoon except in Tanza which gets mostly affected.) 

The mayor said that houses near the river wall were already removed and sandbags were placed to cover the breach caused by the collapsed wall. —Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News