MANILA, Philippines — The pumping stations in Metro Manila were overwhelmed due to heavy rains brought by Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon (habagat), according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
MMDA said all of its 71 pumping stations are operational but could not contain the flood waters.
The volume of rain that the existing pumping stations could handle is 30 mm per hour, but rain in Metro Manila was at 74 millimeters per hour, and this volume continued for about 10 hours on Wednesday, according to the MMDA.
“All pumping stations of MMDA are operational,” the MMDA said in a statement. “Our drainages are not clogged.
“The huge volume of rain could not be contained by the drainages, given that it’s been raining for three days now,” it added.
On Wednesday, Typhoon Carina is enhancing the southwest monsoon, which is bringing heavy rains in Metro Manila and many parts of Luzon, according to the state weather bureau.
The typhoon and weather system deluge rendered many main thoroughfares in Metro Manila impassable, leading to thousands of motorists being stranded.
Tens of thousands of residents in the metropolis were also evacuated as floods left entire bungalows submerged, with some even seeing floods in the second story of their houses.
Metro Manila is now in a state of calamity.
READ: Metro Manila now under state of calamity due to Typhoon Carina