Rains snarl traffic, leave several stranded in Metro

Heavy rains snarled traffic and stranded commuters in several parts of Metro Manila on Sunday, with floods forcing residents in some residential areas of Caloocan City to clamber to the roofs of their houses to wait for help. A report on radio dzBB said that traffic slowed to a crawl at North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), while floods at the Cloverleaf area made roads difficult to pass for light vehicles. In Caloocan City, Barangay 118 chairman Rolly Bolo said floodwaters have reached higher than neck level, prompting residents to climb to the roofs of their houses. "First time sa amin nangyari na ganyan kataas ang tubig. Nananawagan kami sa kinauukulan lalo na sa lungsod ng Caloocan pero sa ibang makatulong sa amin humihingi kami ng tulong dahil napakataas na ng tubig sa nasasakupan ng aming barangay," Bolo said in an interview on dzBB radio. (This is the first time floodwater went this high in our area. We are asking the local government for help.) In Manila, several areas including España Avenue near University of Santo Tomas and Dimasalang were flooded. Many commuters were stranded in the Sampaloc area as jeep drivers stopped plying their routes Sunday night. On Sunday afternoon, state weather forecasters had forecast rainshowers and thunderstorms for Monday, as a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA) drew closer to Central Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the SLPA was 210 km east of Central Luzon as of 2 p.m. Sunday. It added the rest of the country will have "mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms." - GMANews.TV