Marikina City Hall flooded; operations relocated, says mayor

Residents affected by floods from Typhoon Vamco are rescued on a boat, at Marikina, Metro Manila, Philippines, November 12, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — The Marikina City Hall is now flooded as Typhoon Ulysses continues to pound areas in Luzon on Thursday, City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said.

“Even Marikina City Hall is flooded. In fact, we cannot use all the offices in the city hall. We transferred other operations of city hall in other areas,” said Teodoro on ABS-CBN  News Channel’s Dateline Philippines.

Teodoro said floodwaters are “chest-deep” in most of barangays (villages) in the city.

With floodwater submerging Marikina City Hall, Teodoro said even responders have become victims of the calamity.

“If you can see our city hall, our place of government is flooded. We are supposed to be the first responders. We are also the victims of this flooding,” the mayor said.

Teodoro also admitted that the local government needs the national government’s help to provide equipment that will augment relief efforts.

“We see that the local government cannot unilaterally solve the problem now. But we should have a whole of government approach in all levels,” Teodoro said.

“That is the reason why I appealed to the national government to assist us in rescue operations because they have water assets, equipment,” the mayor added.

“The government cannot do it alone. Even in the evacuation centers, our resources will eventually expire,” he added.

Rescue ops ongoing

“We are making use of this opportunity that the rain has stopped to undertake vigorously the rescue operations. […] At the roof of their (residents’) houses,” said Teodoro when asked about the rescue operations in the city.

“There are still many many more residents that are still trapped,” Teodoro further said.

He said floodwaters are also dangerous to cross because of “live wires.”

Marikina residents in the early morning of Thursday called for help as the flood already reached the third floor of their homes.

/MUF