Floodwaters breach Malabon dike: 5,000 residents affected

MANILA, Philippines – Raging floodwaters from the Tullahan River breached over the weekend a portion of Malabon dike in Barangay Tenejeros, affecting at least 5,000 residents, a city official said yesterday.

Malabon city engineering chief Ulysses Tumbocon told The STAR they are working overtime to fill in the damaged portion of the dike with sandbags.

He said the dike, which is under the jurisdiction of the Metro Manila   Development Authority (MMDA), was damaged during a downpour last Saturday.

“We are implementing temporary measures to contain flooding while waiting for MMDA workers to repair the dike,” he said.

Tumbocon said there is no need to evacuate the residents because floodwaters usually subside as soon as the rains stop. The dike is located outside the unfinished Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela (Camanava) flood control project.

He said the completion of the flood control project could have helped contain the rise of the Tullahan River during heavy downpours.

The city government earlier announced that it is considering filing criminal and administrative charges against officials of the Department of Public Works And Highways (DPWH) and several contractors for their failure to finish the controversial Camanava Mega flood control project, which was started in 2003 and was supposed to be completed in 2007.