‘Habagat’ pounds Metro; thousands evacuated

MANILA, Philippines - Heavy monsoon rains or “habagat” pounded Metro Manila yesterday, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents due to massive flooding.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported that 832 families or about 4,000 individuals were evacuated from flooded parts of Marikina, Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Mandaluyong, San Juan and Pasay.

In Marikina, 436 families living in low-lying areas were evacuated to safer ground.

The affected residents from Barangays Concepcion, Malanday and Nangka were temporarily sheltered in public schools in the city.

Paul Sison, city public information officer, said several residents were allowed to return to their homes in the afternoon after the water level in the Marikina River dropped to 14.5 meters.

The river nearly overflowed Sunday night.

As of 11:45 p.m. yesterday, 79 families remained sheltered at the H. Bautista Elementary School, eight at the Malanday Elementary School, 100 at the Libis Bulelak Elementary School in Barangay Malanday, 22 at the Nangka Elementary School, and 22 at the Filipinas Village basketball court.

In Quezon City, around 100 families were evacuated due to torrential rains.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista assured the residents that the local government was doing its best to address the flooding in low-lying areas.

Noel Lansang, head of the city disaster risk reduction and management office, said the affected families from Barangays Tatalon, Bagong Silangan, and Sto. Domingo were evacuated.

The families are temporarily staying at the designated evacuation centers in their respective barangays, said Lansang.

Some 30 families in Barangay Roxas District were also evacuated after floodwaters rose several feet. They returned to their homes yesterday as the floods subsided.

Lansang asked for medicine and relief goods for the families in the evacuation centers.

He said flooding on Araneta Avenue, which was impassable to vehicles Sunday night, subsided yesterday.

Portions of Barangay Holy Spirit, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Maria Clara and Retiro streets were also flooded.

A total of 84 families from 13 barangays in Pasay City were evacuated, Mayor Tony Calixto said.                

The Taguig City government evacuated 399 families or about 2,050 individuals from flooded areas in Barangays New Lower Bicutan, Hagonoy, Old Lower Bicutan, Katuparan, Fort Bonifacio, Western Bicutan, Bagumbayan, Ususan and Tuktukan.

Mayor Lani Cayetano, who personally led the rescue operations, said the affected residents were taken to 12 evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, the MMDA reported that residents in Malabon City were forcibly evacuated due to rising floodwaters.

Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta ordered the disaster teams to evacuate families near the Tullahan River once the La Mesa Dam overflows.

The Northern Police District headquarters in Tanigue street, Caloocan was also flooded.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said they deployed a rescue team to Sucat, Parañaque City where floodwaters rose up to three feet.

The MMDA also deployed five wooden rescue boats to Las Piñas City.

Pumps operational

According to Tolentino, despite the heavy downpour, the usually flood-prone tunnels along EDSA like the one on P. Tuazon street and Aurora Boulevard were not flooded as the pumps kicked into operation.

Flooding in San Juan City and in the nearby Araneta Avenue quickly subsided after a new pumping station in Barangay Balong Bato was put to work yesterday.

The 51 flood pumping stations in the metropolis are all operational and have sufficient fuel. Last year, parts of Taguig City got flooded after a crucial pumping station ran out of diesel fuel.

MMDA general manager Corazon Jimenez told reporters the agency now has better coordination with local government units (LGUs) compared to last year when monsoon rains also submerged many parts of Metro Manila.

Jimenez said LGUs are now more prepared to deal with flooding in their respective areas.

“We were monitoring the flooding, the usual areas, especially when the rains intensified on Sunday evening. I’m surprised that some areas like Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela) did not ask for assistance for evacuation until yesterday morning,” she said.

“We are prepared until Wednesday. The projection for the rainfall is until Wednesday,” Jimenez added.

Tolentino admitted that the lessons learned from the devastating monsoons last year have made the MMDA better prepared.

Beware of landslides

Meanwhile, director Edgardo Ollet of the Office of Civil Defense urged the public to watch out for landslides in Metro Manila that could be triggered by rains and floods.

“Last year, there was a landslide in Commonwealth Avenue. We must start monitoring for these landslides in coordination with the LGUs,” he said.

PNP on alert

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said yesterday the Philippine National Police was on alert and ready to assist LGUs in rescue and relief operations.

“Our police officers went out of the police stations to help in the rescue and evacuation efforts,” Roxas said during a meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

Roxas also reminded the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration to keep Metro Manila mayors informed of the weather situation to allow them to come up with appropriate decisions on suspension of classes during heavy rains. – Mike Frialde, Janvic Mateo, Non Alquitran, Rey Galupo, Reinir Padua, Perseus Echeminada, Cecille Suerte Felipe