Flood reaches power lines in Rizal town

Floodwaters went as high as power lines in San Mateo, Rizal as the enhanced Southwest Monsoon brought heavy rains to parts of Luzon over the weekend.

Resident Janine Adiz was disheartened upon seeing her sari-sari store covered in mud after the waters receded.

"Pagakyat po namin pagkatapos ng baha, sobrang trahedya po talaga eh. Laglag balikat po kami kasi nasira ang napundar namin," Adiz said in a 24 Oras report by Victoria Tulad.

Emilita Pedere's house, which was located under the bridge, was washed out. She expressed hope that the local government would provide her family a safer place to stay in.

"Kung merong bibigay na pabahay, maganda, maayos..." she said.

A state of calamity has been declared in the municipality after 12 out of 15 barangays experienced severe flooding.

"Ang area kasi ng Rodriguez at San Mateo ay part ito ng Marikina River. Assessment natin during that period ay malalakas na po ang pagulan sa taas at nagkaron ng some sort of flashfloods," said Vic Tomazar, incident commander of San Mateo MDRRMO.

Tomazar said 6,956 families or 30,000 individuals have been brought to nearby evacuation centers. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News