Over 400 areas flooded in four regions due to Habagat —OCD

More than 400 areas in four regions were flooded due to the rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) said on Sunday.

The flooding occurred in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and the National Capital Region (NCR).

"Ngayong araw po, as of this morning, 429 pa po ang flooded areas sa apat na regions: Region 1, NCR, Region 3, Calabarzon," said OCD Deputy Administrator for Operation Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(Today, as of this morning, there are still 429 flooded areas across four regions: Region 1, NCR, Region 3, and Calabarzon.)

The OCD said that clearing operations on affected roads are also ongoing.

"So mayroon na tayong 3,158 damaged houses, at halos 100 road sections and 13 bridges na tuloy-tuloy na impassable hanggang kaninang umaga. Kini-clear natin ito. Ang problema talaga nating matindi ay 'yung bridge sa Tarlac, kasi dalawa na 'yung apektado dito, na talagang naputol at kailangan gumamit ng alternative routes," Alejandro added.

(So we now have 3,158 damaged houses, and almost 100 road sections and 13 bridges that remained impassable as of this morning; we are currently clearing these. Our severe problem is the bridge in Tarlac, because two are now affected there, which were completely cut off, requiring the use of alternative routes.)

READ: Part of Aquino Bridge in Tarlac City collapses amid Habagat rains

READ: 2nd bridge in Tarlac City collapses amid Habagat rains

The continuous heavy rains on Saturday triggered flooding not just in the capital region, but also in other parts of Luzon.

But the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that flooding has subsided in parts of the capital region as of Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, landslides have also been reported in Zambales and in a portion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

"Nu'ng medyo gumanda last week ng dalawang araw, nagki-clearing agad 'yung DPWH at LGUs. Nu'ng nag-resurgence nitong monsoon, mayroon tayong bagong reports. Kahapon sa Subic, sa Zambales; even sa SCTEX, may landslide sa daan," said Alejandro.

(When the weather improved slightly for two days last week, the DPWH and LGUs immediately conducted clearing operations. But when the monsoon resurged, we received new reports—yesterday in Subic, in Zambales; even on SCTEX, there was a landslide on the road.)

Two men were killed and two others were injured in a landslide at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Subic, Zambales, on Saturday morning amid continuous heavy rains.

Monsoon rains are expected to continue over Luzon on Sunday, the state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 4 a.m. public weather forecast, PAGASA said monsoon rains are expected in Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. —KG, GMA News