Malabon residents seek high ground as dike gives way

Floodwaters in several barangays in Malabon City rose to high levels because of heavy rain, prompting the city government to evacuate residents on Monday.

Bong Padua, chief public information officer, told the Inquirer that 19 families living along the riverbanks in Barangay Tinajeros had to be relocated to the barangay hall.

The flooding was compounded when water overflowed from   a dike near Tullahan River.

Parts of it were destroyed by the heavy rains overnight and the high tide, Padua said.

Catch basin

The dike serves as a catch basin for water coming from Quezon City, Valenzuela City and Bulacan province, among others.

To prevent the water from spilling into the residential areas, the City Engineering Office deployed teams to sandbag the destroyed portions of the dike.

In Barangay Potrero, eight families had to be moved to Malabon Elementary School after floodwaters reached from 14 to 30 inches.

The City Social Welfare Development Office would shoulder the evacuees’ food, he said.

Although the street was accessible to bigger vehicles such as cars and buses as of 11 a.m., the floodwaters caused heavy traffic in the area.

The Inquirer spotted a roving truck with “Libreng Sakay” and NPD (Northern Police District) on its side.

The truck, as of 11 a.m., however, was empty.

Stranded commuters

Padua said the vehicle carried stranded commuters around

7 a.m.

In Barangays Tanong, Santulan, Baritan and Concepcion, water levels rose from 8 to 30 inches, according to a report by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Office submitted to Acting Mayor Antolin Oreta III.

Classes were suspended for the whole day in 42 private elementary schools, 28 public elementary schools and nine public high schools in the city, according to Padua.

The City of Malabon University in Barangay Longos and the City of Malabon Polytechnic Institute in Barangay Concepcion also announced a suspension of classes for the entire day.