Floods hit QC, Manila

MANILA, Philippines - A sudden downpour yesterday afternoon left several streets in Manila and Quezon City flooded, some as deep as 1.14 meters (m).

According to the Flood Control Information Center (FCIC) of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the downpour, which began shortly after 2 p.m. immediately submerged Maceda street in Manila.

The floodwaters on Retiro street in Sto. Domingo, Quezon City reached as deep as 1.14 m, the FCIC said.

The FCIC reported that as of 3:47 p.m., the floodwaters along España, Maceda and Antipolo streets were .76 m deep. The flash flood forced the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to suspend classes.

Senior Police Officer 1 Julian Pangan of the Manila Police District said even Philippine National Railways trains could not get through until the flood subsided.

Also reported as flooded following the downpour were Recto Avenue (25.4 centimeters), Ortigas Avenue (45.7 cm), E. Rodriguez (in front of St. Lukes’ Medical Center, 50.8 cm) and Tayuman street (38.1 cm).

The floodwaters along Biak na Bato street in Quezon City had reached 63.5 cm deep at 3:30 p.m., the FCIC said.

At 3:35 p.m., a stretch of Araneta Avenue in Quezon City was declared not passable to all types of vehicles by the MMDA after the Talayan Creek overflowed.

At about the same time, A. Bonifacio street in Quezon City leading to the North Luzon Expressway was also declared not passable to all types of vehicles by the MMDA.

At 3:47 p.m., the flood along the section of Araneta Avenue near SM Sta. Mesa was 30.5 cm deep, the MMDA said.

At the height of the downpour, the MMDA also reported flooding at Kalaya­an Avenue near the Quezon City hall (45.7 cm), at Rizal Avenue in Manila (15.2 cm), R. Papa street (.76 m), Del Monte street (45.7 cm), East Avenue (45.7 cm) and at East Riverside (1 m).

Surprisingly, the portion of España street in front of UST, according to the MMDA, was only flooded by 17.8 cm.

There were also reports of gutter-deep floodwaters at the intersection of EDSA and Quezon Avenue.

By 4:20 p.m., the MMDA reported that flooding in some areas started to subside as the downpour started to weaken. – With Aie Balagtas See, Reinir Padua, Janvic Mateo