Residents near Marikina River evacuated

A Filipino baby sleeps at an evacuation center at Marikina, east of Manila, Philippines, on Monday, Aug. 6, 2012. Heavy rains forced some classes to be suspended as hundreds of residents living in low-lying areas evacuated their homes due to high floods and rising of dam levels. AP FILE PHOTO/AARON FAVILA

MANILA, Philippines — Residents near the Marikina River were forcibly evacuated after local  authorities raised the fourth alarm Tuesday, the Marikina Public Information Office said in its Twitter account.

The river’s water level has reached 18 meters following heavy rains since Monday.

Affected residents are from villages of Tumana and Malanday.