Flash floods leave commuters stranded

MANILA, Philippines — Commuters in some parts of Metro Manila were stranded after flash floods left major roads impassable during Wednesday’s evening rush hour, an official said yesterday.

The EDSA-Ortigas service road’s southbound lane, the northbound lane on the EDSA-Shaw Boulevard tunnel and EDSA-Aurora Boulevard’s northbound lane were flooded, said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic czar Bong Nebrija. 

Both lanes of Biak-na-Bato street and E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City and some parts of Ayala Avenue in Makati City were also flooded.

“There was heavy rainfall for two hours, which caused flooding and heavy traffic at past 8 p.m. and lasted until midnight on Wednesday,” Nebrija said.

He also blamed the contractor putting an asphalt overlay along Ayala Avenue for the flooding because the “rain water drain” was covered with asphalt. He added that he reported the incident to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Nebrija said the traffic normalized when the floods subsided before midnight Wednesday.