A month’s worth of rain dumped in a day was what flooded Zamboanga City on July 12, 2024.

According to state weather bureau PAGASA, the severe flooding was caused by the extreme amount of rainfall that reached 170.2 millimeters, which surpassed the 150.3 millimeters amount of normal rainfall supposedly for the whole month of July.

“So kung i-imagine natin to, in 24 oras, we already received the amount of rainfall na katumbas sa isang buwan at higit pa… that’s why bumaha talaga. And in addition, when I look at the climatological extreme, ang pinakahuling nagyari sa month ng July alone lamang, ang mataas na amount of rainfall umabot ng 140.4 mm yung year July 9, 1940,” PAGASA-Zamboanga City OIC-Chief, Rodel Inclan, said.

The heavy rains were triggered by the Southwest Monsoon. The flooding affected 32 barangays, according to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

PAGASA explained that the rain showers experienced in the city is not because of the onset of La Niña. There are more chances that the amount of rainfall will increase in the coming months, especially when La Niña strikes.

“This is not yet the onset of the La Niña event, or phenomena… we may expect na possible na malaki pa ang mangyayari na rainfall, especially for the normal distribution amount of rainfall natin for whole year… ang pinakamataas is usually in the month of October… at hindi pa natin naabot ang October… July pa lang tayo so may probability na pwede pang tumaas pa lalo,” Inclan said.

The local government has nixed its plan to place the city again under a state of calamity due to flooding.

CDRRMO said the resources of the local government for disaster response are still sufficient.

“We have prepared 70 percent, kumpleto na to… kung muingon ka nga food items, naa na ta, naa pa… worse comes to worse, then we can just re-convene,” CDRRMO Head, Dr. Elmeir Apolinario, said.

At least six people were killed and more than 5,000 families were affected by the massive flooding in the city.

Meanwhile, the damage to crops due to the widespread flooding in Maguindanao del Sur has reached more than P48 million, so far.

Health workers also continued to monitor the different evacuation centers as some evacuees have reportedly caught cough and colds, especially that evacuation centers are already congested.

At a public market used as an evacuation center in Pagalungan town alone, more than 800 families are taking shelter there temporarily.

“Merong ubo sipon ang mga kababayan natin doon kasi given nga yung condition sa evacuation center ay hindi ideal kung baga kasi medyo madaming tao, masikip, saka siksikan pero nandoon naman yung ating mga medical teams na naka-antabay sa kanila,” Amer Jehad Ambolodto, assistant department head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRO), said.