Monsoon rains to continue; 6 deaths reported in flooding

FALLEN BRIDGE A bridge at Barangay Esperanza in Alfonso town, Cavite province, collapsed on Saturday night as persistent monsoon rains loosened the soil. Motorists usually used the bridge when taking a shortcut from Cavite City to Tagaytay City, both in Cavite. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The northern regions of the country will continue to experience rains in the next two days due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by two weather disturbances outside the Philippine area of responsibility, the weather bureau said on Monday.

Weather over Luzon will likely improve by Thursday, according to weather specialist Ariel Rojas.

In the Visayas and Mindanao, generally fair weather will continue, he added.

As of Monday, authorities reported at least six people dead from flooding that turned large areas of Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon into lakes. (See related stories on Pages A13 and A14.)

The flooding, brought on by the southwest monsoon induced by Tropical Storm “Karding” (international name: Yagi), displaced some 60,000 people, mostly in Metro Manila, particularly in Marikina, Pasig and Quezon City, and Rizal province.

Leptospirosis warning

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reiterated his call to the public to avoid, if possible, wading in floodwaters to prevent falling ill from leptospirosis.

A resident of Pulilan town in Bulacan province was reported to have died from the disease.

Duque said people should immediately seek treatment if they exhibited such symptoms as headache, muscle pain and fever.

The Department of Health has set aside more than P75 million worth of medicines and medical supplies for those affected by the floods.

On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte canceled his scheduled aerial inspection of areas in Metro Manila and Rizal province reportedly due to bad weather.

The southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” will continue to bring scattered-to-widespread rains over Northern Luzon, Central Luzon and the western section of Southern Luzon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Storms Leepi, Bebinca

Rojas said the effects of habagat were being intensified by Tropical Storms “Leepi” and “Bebinca,” both outside the Philippines and not likely to enter the country.

As of 3 p.m. on Monday, Leepi was 1,820 kilometers east-northeast of Batanes and slowly moving northwest, Rojas said.

Bebinca formed over the West Philippine Sea and was spotted 925 km of Northern Luzon. It will likely dissipate by Tuesday, Rojas said.

Based on Pagasa data, the rains over the past three days breached the daily averages, with Baguio recording the biggest volume since Friday, followed by Metro Manila.

From Aug. 10 to 12, Baguio received a total 671.4 millimeters of rainfall, close to the 747.2 12-day August average, while Metro Manila recorded 350.5 mm of rain.

Fatalities

Three people reportedly died in Quezon City over the weekend, allegedly after drowning in swollen creeks and floodwaters.

In Olongapo City, rescuers on Monday recovered the body of 13-year-old Kristhel Traquino Ferrer, one of six children reported missing after they jumped into a swollen river on Sunday.

In Baguio, Mencio Abol Amiten of Tuba town, Benguet province, drowned on Saturday after he slipped and fell into a drainage canal.

A resident of Marikina was found dead on Sunday.

The National Capital Region Police Office reported that as of 2 p.m. on Monday, more than 24,800 remained in evacuation centers across Metro Manila.

Provisions for evacuees

Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the number of evacuees in the city continued to rise.

Teodoro said that among the most needed supplies for the evacuees were provisions for children, particularly diapers, toiletries, and clothes and food for toddlers.

DAM SPILLS Operators of Bustos Dam (left photo) and Ipo Dam, both in Bulacan province, release water from their reservoirs after their spilling levels were breached due to rains. —PHOTOS BY EDWIN BACASMAS

In Bulacan province, floods displaced at least 1,000 families at 17 villages in nine towns.

Bustos Dam had been releasing water over the weekend, which could worsen floods suffered by the towns of Calumpit, Hagonoy and Paombong due to the high tide, said Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado.

State of calamity

Earlier, the City of Meycauayan had been placed under a state of calamity.

Most villages in the city and the towns of Marilao, Balagtas, Baliwag, Calumpit, Hagonoy, Bocaue, Guiguinto, Plaridel, Bustos and Paombong had been flooded with water reaching from 15 centimeters to 1.8 meters.

The Lias-Ibayo Road in Marilao and the Hagonoy-Calumpit and Calumpang-Panginay provincial roads in Balagtas were not passable to light vehicles. The detour road connecting Bustos and Baliwag had been ordered closed due to floods.

In Nueva Ecija province, strong rains prompted the cancellation of classes in 13 towns.

San Roque Dam

In Pangasinan province, disaster response officials kept a close watch on the Agno River as San Roque Dam in San Manuel town continued to spill water into the river.

A total of 119 villages in 10 towns and cities had been submerged in 1.5 m of water since Sunday.

A total of 448 families had been taken to different evacuation centers. Classes in 22 towns and cities in Pangasinan were also canceled on Monday because of the floods and incessant rain.

In Kalinga province, residents and government workers of Tinglayan town reopened a road at Barangay Bugnay that was struck by a landslide that stranded hundreds of motorists on Sunday.

Other landslides were reported along the Calanan-Pinukpuk-Abbut Road, the access route to Quezon town in Isabela province and Mountain Province. —With reports from Jeannette I. Andrade, Julie M. Aurelio, Jovic Yee, Joanna Aglibot, Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Villamor Visaya Jr., Armand Galang, Yolanda Sotelo and Gabriel Cardinoza