Monsoon surge torments MM
2.2 M residents affected, 340,000 evacuated in Luzon
The monsoon surge has taken Metro Manila by storm, displacing 50,000 residents, overflowing rivers, inundating communities, and stranding thousands along flooded highways for up to 10 hours. For many provinces in Luzon, heavy rains from the cycloneMajor
enhanced “habagat” or southwest monsoon were just as tormenting with a total of 2.2 million people affected – 340,000 of them fleeing their flooded homes.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the amount of rain dumped over Metro Manila at the height the weekend’s monsoon surge reached more than half the total rainfall average in the metropolis.
PAGASA said that from 8 a.m. Saturday (August 11) to 8 a.m. Sunday (August 12), its Science Garden monitoring station in Quezon City recorded 270 millimeters (mm) of rainfall over a large part of Metro Manila.
This is more than half the total rainfall average in the rainy season of August of 504 mm.
However, the amount of accumulated rainfall was still lower than the 455-mm six-hour rainfall dumped by tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009.
According to PAGASA weather specialist Meno Mendoza, the southwest monsoon will continue to affect Luzon and Visayas as tropical storm “Karding” (Yagi) continues to enhance the impacts of habagat.
2.2 M affected The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported 532,066 families or 2,231,101 persons were affected by the effects of the habagat in 1,835 barangays in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon, and Mimaropa, as of 2 p.m. Sunday.
A total of 10,528 families or 43,694 persons are staying inside 98 evacuation centers set up by local government units (LGUs) in the affected regions.
DSWD also noted that 8,540 houses were damaged; of which, 391 were totally damaged and 8,149 were partially damaged due to the effects of the southwest monsoon.
So far, it has provided 1105,999,704.09 worth of assistance to the affected families; 172,437,893.68 of which came from DSWD, 131,834,055.41 came from the LGUs, 1884,105 was from non-government organizations, while 1843,650 came from other contributing parties.
Marikina in distress
DSWD Secretary Virginia Orogo, together with other DSWD executives, visited Marikina City on Sunday to check on the status of the evacuees and discuss the status of relief operations for floodaffected residents in the metropolis.
As of 7:30 a.m. yesterday, a total of 21,137 people were received in evacuation centers in Marikina, the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) said.
At 9:58 p.m. Saturday, the Tumana River’s water level hit 20.6 meters, overflowing to riverside communities and inundating houses up to the roof.
Christelle Gapay, 23, and her family were among those who took refuge at the Malanday Elementary School. “The flood quickly escalated. Memories of typhoon Ondoy came into our minds. We were so afraid,” she told The Manila Bulletin.
Trucks carrying 3,100 family food packs and 673 sleeping mats from DSWD arrived last Sunday in Marikina City. An additional 1,000 family food packs were also expected to be delivered in the city.
DSWD said the aid will be unloaded at evacuation centers in the city for distribution to the evacuees.
Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro announced a suspension of classes in all levels in public and private schools today.
For those who wish to donate food, clothing and relief goods to evacuees, the Eastern Police District (EPD) said the evacuation sites in Marikina are located at the Bulelak Covered Court, Malanday Elementary, San Elena Elementary, Leogradio Elementary, Nangka Elementary, Nangka Covered Court, CIS School, H. Bautista School, Kalumpang Elementary, Sto. Niño Elementary, San Roque Multipurpose, San Roque Multipurpose, Tanong High School, San Roque Elementary, San Roque Multipurpose, and IVC School.
MM evacuations Like Marikina, Quezon and Pasig Cities had the most number of residents who fled their homes to seek refuge on higher ground.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO director, said there were over 50,000 people in Metro Manila who fled their homes in fear of rising floods reminiscent of the deadly havoc wrought by tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009.
As of 7:30 a.m. yesterday, 4,543 persons have been received in evacuation centers in Pasig City and 2,991 others displaced in Quezon City.
In the northern part of Metro Manila, a total of 1,623 people fled their homes in Malabon, Valenzuela and Navotas, while in Manila, there were 141 persons at evacuation centers.
Several families were also evacuated in Mandaluyong City and San Juan, according to Eleazar.
The figures on the number of evacuees have started to decrease starting 7 a.m. as the weather condition began to improve.
Class suspensions
Expecting a continuation of southwest monsoon rains, several local government units in Metro Manila and provinces in Luzon have already suspended classes in all levels for both public and private schools for today, August 12.
In Metro Manila, the suspension of classes covers the cities of Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, and Marikina.
In San Juan City, Mayor Guia Gomez said classes at San Perfecto Elementary School, Salapan Elementray School, and Kabayanan Elementary School are also suspended.
In Bulacan, a blanket suspension of classes has been declared in Balagtas, Bocaue, Bulakan, Calumpit, Guiguinto, Malolos, Meycauayan, and Paombong.
In Ilocos region, all classes are also suspended in Binmaley and Lingayen in Pangasinan and Tagudin in Ilocos Sur.
The same suspension covers some parts of Rizal, including Rodriguez, San Mateo and Taytay.
The bright side
Mendoza said monsoon rains will not be as intense as last Saturday’s rains but light to moderate to at times heavy rains will still prevail over Metro Manila, Batanes, Babuyan group of islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.
Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental and the rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms, while Mindanao and the rest of Visayas will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers. (With reports from Kate Louise Javier and Jel Santos)