10 metro cities, municipalities declare state of calamity

MANILA, Philippines - Ten cities and municipalities in Metro Manila and six provinces in Luzon have been placed under a state of calamity due to massive flooding caused by four days of non-stop monsoon rains.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that areas in Metro Manila that have been placed under a state of calamity were Marikina, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, San Juan, Pasig, Pasay, Caloocan and Pateros.

In Central Luzon, the provinces of Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales and Bulacan as well as Laguna and Palawan provinces in Southern Luzon have also been placed under a state of calamity.

Quezon City, which has the most number of families affected by floods, has yet to make a calamity declaration. There are a total of 72,468 people affected by flooding in the city and majority of them or a total of 72,264 are staying in 57 evacuation centers.

Quezon City and Marikina City have been hit by greater volume of torrential rains since Sunday night. A massive evacuation has been ordered in Marikina City due to the overflowing of the Marikina River.

A total of 246,808 people have been affected in 17 areas in Metro Manila.

The other regions affected by the monsoon rains were Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Western Visayas.

The NDRRMC said that a total of 454,093 families or nearly two million people in Metro Manila and the five other regions are affected by floods caused by the monsoon rains.

It has also confirmed 19 fatalities, nine of which died in a landslide in Quezon City and eight died from drowning.

Flooding in Quezon City and other areas in Luzon were expected to continue due to the overflowing of major dams including La Mesa, Angat and San Roque. The water reserve in Ipo, Ambuklao and Binga dams are near spilling levels.