Floods swamp Metro Manila after thunderstorm

MANILA, Philippines - Floods swamped parts of Metro Manila following heavy rains brought about by a thunderstorm Saturday afternoon, even as state weather forecasters said the thunderstorm was "isolated." Radio dzRH reported that in Manila, floods swamped Liwasang Bonifacio, Quiapo and Divisoria and several parts of Taft Avenue, snarling traffic in the affected areas. Knee-deep floods were also reported in some areas of Makati City. But the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said this was not a new cyclone but an isolated thunderstorm. "Ito ay isolated thunderstorm ... Maganda naman ang inaasahan natin ngayong weekend, isolated ang inaasahan nating pag-ulan (This is an isolated thunderstorm. We actually expect good weather this weekend, except for some isolated rains)," Pagasa forecaster Rene Paciente said on dzRH. When asked about the chances of a shallow low-pressure area spotted off Mindanao intensifying into a cyclone to be code-named "Quinta," he said, "hindi naman po (Not yet)." Meanwhile, Pagasa said a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA) was plotted 580 kilometers east of Northern Mindanao. "Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. Luzon will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," it said in its 5 p.m. bulletin. Light to moderate winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the northeast to northwest over Mindanao. Coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate except during thunderstorms. - GMANews.TV