MANILA, Philippines?The crowds were not as thick, but they came just the same, despite the threat of a new typhoon.

A number of tombs at the Manila South Cemetery in Makati City were immersed in knee-deep floodwaters caused by Typhoon ?Santi? yesterday.

Police Supt. Ricardo Layug Jr. noted that the crowd was smaller than expected. As of noon yesterday, police placed the figure at 2,000, lower than the expected 10,000 figure, although people started filing in the cemetery later in the afternoon.

On Friday, the crowd peaked at 2,500 at 4 p.m. The number went down to about a hundred as heavy rains poured later in the evening, Layug said.

But it was business as usual for the vendors who lined up the sidewalks inside and outside the cemetery.

Cleaning services were also peddled by boys with broomsticks in hand. One group included a 7-year-old who said his sweeping service would cost P50 a customer.

Chief Supt. Rodolf Magtibay, director of the Manila Police District, which is in charge of internal security in the cemetery, noticed the flooded areas and immediately instructed cemetery administrator Henry Dy to clear the drainage system.

The Manila South Cemetery is in Makati City but it is managed by the Manila city government.

VIPs laid to rest in South Cemetery include former President Elpidio Quirino and National Artist Lucretia Kasilag.

Fewer people were also seen at Himlayang Pilipino cemetery in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, yesterday, even as the skies were visibly clearer than expected.

?The people avoided the cemetery because they knew there was a typhoon on its way. There were more visitors on Friday,? a cemetery security guard told Inquirer.

A drizzle gently sprinkled the flowers left on the graves, leaving the bouquets wet and fresh on the eve of All Saints Day.

The guard said the flowers were left by visitors who came on Friday night to take down their tents to prevent them from being damaged.

Outside Himlayang Pilipino, flower and candle vendors set up their stalls in time for the early birds who wanted to pay their respects to their dead ahead of time.

Elsewhere in Quezon City, the effects of Typhoon Santi were not as severe as the flooding brought by Tropical Storm ?Ondoy? more than a month ago.

Apart from strong winds and heavy rains before dawn yesterday, there was no report of massive flooding in the city.

The skies eventually cleared at noontime, although heavy winds toppled some signs along major thoroughfares like Commonwealth Avenue and Elliptical Road.

Branches measuring more than a meter fell from the tall acacia trees lining the Sunken Garden area at the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, but there were no signs of uprooted trees Saturday morning.