MANILA, Philippines – Eight cities in Metro Manila and five provinces
in Luzon have been put under a state of calamity after floods resulting
from southwest monsoon rains killed 19 and affected one million people,
the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
said.
These are: Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Malabon, Navotas, San Juan,
Pasay, and Valenzuela; and Bulacan (Guiguinto, Meycauayan, Malolos,
Obando), Laguna, Pampanga, Zambales. Four areas in Bulacan were hardest
hit by the floods.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim made the declaration Wednesday as, according
to Gilbert Celestin of the Local Risk Reduction Office in an interview
over Radyo Inquirer 990AM, 80 percent of the city was flooded and that
they were having difficulty evacuating the residents.
Tayuman, Gagalangin, Juan Luna and Recto are waist deep and their water levels continue to rise because of their proximity to the creek, said Manila 2nd District Councilor Uno Lim.
Floodwaters in the First District, which is the west of Tondo have entered most houses, forcing residents to seek safety on the roof, said Councilor Junicio Ernesto.
In the 4th district alone, almost 200 families have been affected by the flood, said councilor Louie Chua.
On Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issued a red warning over Metro Manila as the amount of rainfall on that day surpassed that of tropical storm “Ondoy” in September 2009.
But the state-run weather bureau decided to downgrade the alert level to green and then yellow early Wednesday, only to bring it back to red late in the afternoon following torrential rains, the amount of which was measured at 30 millimeters per hour.
Office of Civil Defense NCR Director Susana Cruz said that being under a state of calamity would allow local governments to utilize their disaster funds to expedite their recovery, as well as allow affected residents to file for calamity loans. With Jamie Elona
