Catholic churches not spared by floods amid heavy rain

Several Catholic churches in some Luzon areas were flooded on Thursday due to the inclement weather brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and tropical cyclones Dante and Emong.

In their respective social media posts, the following churches showed the effects of the continuous downpour.

The benches at Sta. Cruz Parish in Tanza, Navotas were in disorder after floodwater entered the church.

The flood also entered the Immaculate Conception Parish Cathedral & Minor Basilica in Malolos, Bulacan.

In Hagonoy, Bulacan, ankle-deep water inside the St. John the Baptist Parish church did not prevent the Eucharistic celebration from pushing through.

Meanwhile, some religious images were submerged in flood at the Immaculate Conception Parish - Puerto Rivas in Balanga, Bataan.

Floods also hit the historic San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier said the city government sent a water pump and personnel from its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to extract the floodwater.

According to its 2 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Signal No. 3 has been raised over four areas as Emong maintained its strength and was almost stationary over the sea west of Pangasinan.

A total of 2,733,646 people or 765,869 families have been affected by the bad weather in all regions except Eastern Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported.

The death toll due to Crising, Dante, Emong, and Habagat now stands at 12 persons. — RF, GMA Integrated News