At least five people, including an infant, were killed while six others went missing as Tropical Depression “Maring” swept Metro Manila and nearby provinces on Tuesday, causing widespread flooding that forced authorities to close the financial markets, government offices and schools.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Maring made landfall in Mauban, Quezon province, on Tuesday morning and moved northwest with winds of 60 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 100 kph.
Pagasa warned that moderate to heavy rains in Metro Manila and nearby provinces might trigger more flash floods and landslides.
Officials said Jude Pondal, 17, and his brother, Justin, 14, died in the hospital early on Tuesday, after they were recovered from the rubble of their cliffside shanty, which was buried in mud by a landslide in Barangay Dolores in Taytay, Rizal province.
Their mother, who suffered a broken left arm, father and another sibling survived, according to Loel Malonzo of the provincial disaster management office.
In Lucena City, a 3-month-old boy died after strong rains brought down a retaining wall that buried three houses behind Mount Carmel Diocesan Hospital. At least 10 others were injured.
Failed rescue try
In Silang, Cavite province, Rossie Nasayao drowned in floodwaters trying to save her four children in Barangay Biluso on Monday night, said Kathlyn Eusebio of the Silang disaster management council.
Nasayao’s body was recovered around noon on Tuesday in Barangay San Agustin 2, in nearby Dasmariñas City.
“Their nipa hut was washed away. She was able to save her small children before she herself got swept away,” Eusebio said.
The Pasay police assistant chief of operations, Supt. Deanry Francisco, said 12-year-old Samantha Cornejo drowned as she was swept away by the strong currents of the Maricaban River early on Tuesday.
Missing in Calamba
Francisco said the girl was with four friends who had jumped from a bridge into the river for a swim. Rescue workers recovered her body from the Tripa de Gallina creek about two hours later.
In Calamba City, Laguna, six people, including three children aged 5, 3 and 1, went missing after their house was swept away along the banks of the swollen San Cristobal River.
Seven others, including four children, were rescued in Barangay Parian, provincial disaster officials said.
Torrential rains also fell across the Central Luzon provinces, including Pampanga, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.
In Pangasinan province, officials barred fishermen from sailing. Pagasa expected Maring to cut across neighboring Zambales province, on its way out of the country toward the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday.
“We do not want fishermen to be there when Maring hits the area,” said Avenix Arenas, spokesperson for the provincial disaster management office.
In Aurora province, which faces the Pacific Ocean, the provincial government advised residents against sailing and fishing.
Classes suspended
Classes were suspended by 118 local governments in Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, as well as the cities of Angeles and Olongapo.
UNDERWATER One of Manila’s main thoroughfares, España, is submerged by floods brought by Tropical Depression “Maring.” At least five people were reported dead and six missing.—JOAN BONDOC
Officials in Iloilo and Antique provinces, which were not in Maring’s path, also suspended classes because heavy monsoon rains enhanced by the tropical depression caused floods in the two provinces.
In Pitogo, Quezon, police rescued 25 passengers of a bus, which stalled in a flooded section of the Bondoc Peninsula Highway, where the driver headed to avoid floodwaters in the Maharlika Highway, said Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director.
Army soldiers also rescued Mayor Eduardo Severo of Calabanga, Camarines Sur province, who was stranded in a village surrounded by floodwaters.
Floods forced thousands to leave their flooded homes and seek shelter in evacuation centers in Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol regions, including 829 families (4,114 individuals) in Laguna, and 190 families in Batangas.
Canceled flights
Airport authorities said at least 18 domestic flights were canceled due to the bad weather. Flights from Guam, Puerto Princesa and Kuala Lumpur were diverted to the Clark International Airport. A Philippine Airlines flight to Kuwait, and 17 AirAsia and Cebu Pacific domestic flights, mostly to or from the Visayas and Mindanao, were also delayed.
Andrews Avenue, leading to Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, was under knee-deep water, impassable to light vehicles, while water was ankle-deep in roads leading to Terminals 1, 2 and 4.
Water rose in the Aurora Boulevard underpass in Cubao District, causing traffic on Edsa to slow down to a crawl from Makati City to Quezon City early on Tuesday morning.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported 1,195 passengers along with 141 rolling cargoes and at least 43 vessels were stranded at different ports in Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Southern Quezon, Northern Quezon, Albay, Catanduanes, and Camarines Sur.
A stronger typhoon, “Talim,” was spotted 865 kilometers east of the northern tip of the Philippines early on Tuesday and was heading toward Taiwan and eastern China. It was due to make landfall on Taiwan late on Wednesday.
—With reports from Tonette Orejas, Gabriel Cardinoza, Dexter Cabalza, Maricar Cinco, Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Rey Anthony Ostria, Madonna Virola, Juan Escandor Jr., Michael Jaucian, Romulo Ponte, Jerome Aning, Jovic Yee, Matthew Reysio-Cruz, Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Nikko Dizon, and the wires