InterAksyon.com
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MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 10 - 1:50 p.m.) Marikina River has topped the critical level of 19 meters and the warning siren has already sounded, signalling the forced evacuation of residents in the area, the state-owned weather bureau said.
Although there is no typhoon, the unusual amount of rain pouring in is causing floods all over Metro Manila and nearby provinces like Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration.
The southwest monsoon (or hanging habagat) and the typhoon in China are causing the rains.
As of 1:15 p.m., the Marikina City Twitter account @marikinapio, said the water level at the swollen river had swiftly risen to 20.6 meters above sea level from from 19 meters at 8:00 a.m. as measured by the stream gauge under the Marikina Bridge in Barangay Sto Niño, and was still rising.
Meanwhile, upstream in Quezon City, more than half a month of rains in Metro Manila was dumped in the city in just 24 hours, data from the state weather bureau shows.
Just before 11 a.m., the alarm was sounded off again as incessant rains since last night continued to increase the water level in the river.
Local officials have begun evacuating residents in affected areas, but there have been reports of some residents refusing rescue and deciding to wait it out till the rains cease.
The Red Warning remains hoisted over Metro Manila, which includes Marikina, and more than 30mm/hr of rains are expected in the area in the next two hours.
Torrential rains from Montalban
Marikina Representative Federico Quimbo advised residents to "move their vehicles to safer grounds once you see your streets start having flood."
"We are expecting the floodwaters to rise in the Marikina River in the next three hours," Quimbo said. "Rainfall in Mt. Oro in Montalban has been torrential in the last three hours. We expect that to come down the Marikina River in the next four hours."
"Please know that while you are living far from the river, all of our surface rain water cannot leave our streets and drainages since the only outlet is also the over swelled Marikina River," he added.
Switch power off
The Manila Electric Co. advised city residents that it was cutting power in areas experiencing heavy flooding.
"Please turn off your main power switch, too, in case your home is already flooded," the utility said, adding it had deployed crews to affected areas.
Extended class suspension. schools as evacuation centers
Vice Mayor Jose Fabian Cadiz said classes will remain suspended on Wednesday, August 8.
As of 1:30 p.m., 4,271 families, or 23,331 persons, had sought shelter in 22 evacuation centers.
Earlier, the city government posted a partial list of residents taking shelter at the following evacuation centers:
1. Concepcion Integrated School - 167 families/835 persons
2. Bulelak Gym - 162 families/816 persons
3. H. Bautista Elementary School - 675 families/3,393 persons
4. Malanday Elementary School - 825 families/4,830 persons
5. Concepcion Elementary School - 324 families/ 1,800 persons
6. Sta. Elena Chapel (Lambak) - 5 families/ 25 persons
7. Nangka Elementary School - 469 families/ 2,384 persons
8. Filipinas Village Gym - 84 families/ 581 persons
9. Sampaguita Gym- 95 families/ 491 persons
10. Sto. Niño Elem Sch - 63 families/ 344 persons
11. Leodegario Victorino Elem Sch - 105 families/ 474 persons
12. Industrial Valley Complex - 26 families/ 150 persons
13. Marikina High School - 120 families/ 500 persons
14. Campo de Boro - 51 families/ 197 persons
15. Fairlane Gym - 20 families/ 81 persons
16. Parang Gym - 30 families/ 179 persons
Half a month's rain pour over Metro Manila
Meanwhile, more than half a month of rains in Metro Manila was dumped in the metropolis in just 24 hours, data from the state weather bureau shows.
From 8 a.m. Monday till Tuesday morning, rains in Quezon City, brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat, reached 323.4 milimeters. A bulk of the heavy downpour was felt from 3 p.m. till 8 p.m. of Monday, when 91.6 mm of rains were dumped in just five hours.
According to data from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Metro Manila's average rainfall for August is at 504.2 mm.
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