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AS
another typhoon, the third to hit the country in a span
of one week, moves in, heavy rains brought by the
southwest monsoon flooded parts of Metro Manila, causing
heavy traffic on major thoroughfares, including Epifanio
de los Santos Avenue (Edsa), the metropolis’s main
thoroughfare.
The
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical
Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that as of 2
a.m., typhoon Egay was located 650 kms east of Casiguran,
Aurora, with maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center.
The
typhoon is the third to hit the country after Chedeng
and Dodong, which weather forecasters said ended the dry
spell and helped normalize the weather conditions in the
Ilocos and
Central Luzon. However, the dry spell remains in the
Cagayan
Valley, and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
said cloud-seeding operations will be conducted in the
region as well as in Bicol, which continues to
experience drought.
“The
rains over the past few days because of Chedeng and
Dodong partially addressed the water supply problem,”
Prisco Nilo, deputy director of Pagasa, said, citing the
improved water levels in the country’s six major dams.
Nilo
said two-thirds of the country’s water-supply problem is
considered solved, which means that households in Metro
Manila and farmers in irrigated areas will likely have
their normal supply of water.
However,
based on the development in the satellite images of the
country’s weather bureau, weather forecasters said Egay
may develop into a super typhoon and bring more
rainfall, that is expected to cause flashfloods and
landslides in critical areas in
Luzon.
Nilo
said Pagasa will declare storm signals in areas to be
affected by Egay.
Wednesday’s heavy rain, Nilo clarified, was not because
of Egay but because of the southwest monsoon rains,
which may prevail until the end of the year.
The
Department of Education (DepEd) cancelled classes in the
elementary and high-school levels, public and private,
on Wednesday, but the announcement came late in the
morning, when most students have already gone to school.
The
students who were sent home were stranded, along with
thousands of commuters.
Glenn
Rabonza, chief of the NDCC, blamed local officials for
failing to decide on the cancellation of classes, which
is already the discretion of the local chief executives.
Several
motorcycle riders along Edsa, Quezon City and Rizal
Avenue in Caloocan and Manila stopped for shelter under
footbridges and elevated rails because of low to zero
visibility, which also hounded many motorists.
The
operation of the Metro Rail Transit was also affected
for more than 20 minutes because of an alleged power
glitch.
Teresita
Domalanta, education department Metro Manila director,
said: “Even without a storm signal, we have to suspend
classes because of the floods.”
Reports
from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
operations center showed that roads not passable to
light vehicles are the northbound lane of Edsa-Santolan,
both lanes of Edsa-Aurora and Edsa-Main,
Katipunan-Ateneo northbound, Xavierville southbound in
Quezon City,
and Pureza in Santa Mesa, Manila.
In
addition, several streets in
Manila,
including V. Mapa in Santa Mesa, Lacson and Dapitan
streets in Sampaloc, T.M. Kalaw and Maria Orosa streets
in the Ermita-Malate district, were flooded.
In
Quezon City, E. Rodriguez and Araneta Avenue in the
Cubao district were submerged in deep water.
Also
flooded were Pasong Tamo in
Makati
City
and Libertad in Pasay City.
Heavy
rains also brought down two walls—at barangay East Drive
in Marikina City and in the Nayon ng Kabataan, Fabella,
in barangay Welfareville in Mandaluyong City.
No one
was reported hurt in the two incidents.
Marikina
Rescue 161 dispatched a team on rubber boats to rescue
families reported to have been trapped by flood inside
their houses on Champaca Street in barangay Fortune. |
