Enhanced monsoon unleashes heavy rains, floods in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Heavy rains brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon triggered floods in several areas in Metro Manila yesterday, disrupting classes and work in both government and private offices.

Monsoon rains will persist today over Babuyan Islands, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, the Cordilleras, Ilocos region, Metro Manila, Occidental Mindoro, northern portion of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PAGASA said Typhoon Fabian (In-fa) and Tropical Depression Cempaka continued to boost the southwest monsoon.

As of 4 p.m., the eye of Fabian was located 655 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, packing winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

It was forecast to move west at 10 kph.

Cempaka, which was outside the Philippine area of responsibility, was spotted 1,145 km west of extreme Northern Luzon or in the vicinity of Maoming, Guangdong, China as of 3 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph. It was moving west northwest slowly.

The enhanced southwest monsoon and Fabian will also bring rough to very rough seas with waves as high as 4.5 meters over the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands and the western seaboard of Palawan including Kalayaan and Calamian Islands.

Moderate to rough seas of up to 3.5 meters high will also prevail over the eastern and rest of the northern and western seaboards of Luzon.

Fabian was forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday.

Flashfloods

The monsoon inundated Taft Avenue, making the area around the National Museum as well as the the streets of Maria Orosa and United Nations Avenue impassable to light vehicles starting at past 8 a.m., the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

Roxas Boulevard near Quirino service road, the corners of Rizal Avenue and Recto, Roxas Boulevard and Pedro Gil, Bonifacio Drive and 25th street in Port Area, and Roxas Boulevard and Kalaw were submerged.

Heavy rain also inundated areas around EDSA, particularly near the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Boni, Julia Vargas and Ortigas.

Parts of C-5 Road near Eastwood, Julia Vargas and Ortigas were also flooded as well as Buendia and Filmore streets in Makati, Maysilo Circle in Mandaluyong, and España, Pureza and Ramon Magsaysay streets in Manila.

The monsoon disrupted operations at the Senate as employees were sent home at around 1 p.m. while the Supreme Court declared half-day work in all courts in the National Capital Region.

Rescued Eight crewmembers of a motorized banca and two fishermen were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in the waters off Antique and Batangas, respectively, after their vessel capsized due to strong winds and heavy rain.

The M/B Roxanne with eight crewmembers sank in the waters off Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique.

The vessel was headed to the island from San Jose, Occidental Mindoro when it was battered by high waves and strong winds.

Meanwhile, the fishermen’s boat capsized in the waters off Cape Santiago Light Station in Calatagan, Batangas. – Ghio Ong, Jose Rodel Clapano, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan, Robertzon Ramirez