Floods from monsoon rain render parts of NCR, Luzon impassable

Published September 23, 2013 6:03am

(Updated (9:38 a.m.) Residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces woke up Monday to heavy rain brought about by the southwest monsoon since Sunday, rendering some parts of Metro Manila impassable to vehicles.

Floods were reported in known flood-prone areas in Makati City, Manila, Quezon City and Parañaque City, such as the Skyway Buendia off-ramp, the streets around University of Santo Tomas, Araneta Avenue, and the vicinity of SM Sucat, among others.

In Subic, Zambales, some residents were stranded on rooftops as flood reached the second floor of some homes.

Classes were suspended by schools and local governments in Metro Manila and Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Sta. Maria in Bulacan, and Cainta and Taytay in Rizal as authorities kept schoolchildren's safety in mind.

The Metro Manila Development Authority earlier announced that the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) would remain in effect, but took this back when it said past 7 a.m. that it would lift the number coding scheme as the UVVRP is more popularly known.

The heavy downpour also raised the water levels in seven major dams in Luzon.

But Filipinos are still in for more rain as PAGASA forecasters on Monday warned of more heavy downpour over Metro Manila and nearby provinces Monday.

At 5:45 a.m., PAGASA issued an orange rainfall advisory, warning of "heavy to at times intense rainfall" over Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan and parts of Laguna, Quezon, Cavite, and Occidental Mindoro.

PAGASA also said an approaching tropical storm, internationally codenamed Pabuk, may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility as early as Wednesday.

In August this year, monsoon rains enhanced by Tropical Storm Maring left at least half of Metro Manila flooded, and severely affected provinces like Cavite.

Flooded areas

As of 4:16 a.m., Makati City reported three-foot high floods in Barangay Pio del Pilar, including P. Medina, E. Ramos, Taylo, and Dela Rosa. The area was declared "not passable."

The Skyway said the Buendia off-ramp was temporarily closed to traffic due to the flood at dela Rosa.

Also in Makati, flooded were areas in Barangay Tejeros:

- Montojo corner Mascardo (two feet), not passable
- Montojo to Davila and along Chino Roces (4 inches), passable

In Manila, the University of Santo Tomas student council noted certain streets in Dapitan and P. Noval had ankle- to gutter-deep flooding.

The UST said the "continuous rain and flooding" prompted the suspension of classes in all levels and office work.

Also in Manila, floods at R. Papa were 12 inches deep as of 4:30 a.m.

In Quezon City, radio dzBB's Manny Vargas reported a part of Araneta Avenue was not passable due to an overflowing creek.

The floods caused even 10-wheeler trucks to turn back from the area, the report said.

In Parañaque City, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said floods were knee-deep at Parañaque National High School to SM Sucat northbound, and gutter-deep at theSM Sucat southbound.

As of 5:40 a.m., Marikina said the water level at Marikina River was 14.5 meters, with four floodgates open.

Despite the floods, the Light Rail Transit Authority said its Lines 1 and 2 will operate normally. — DVM/KG/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: flood, makati, weather, pabuk, pablo