140,000 displaced in Luzon; flood worst in Laguna

MANILA, Philippines - More than 140,000 people were affected by flooding due to non-stop torrential rains spawned by storm-enhanced southwest monsoon since Sunday in Metro Manila and four more regions in Luzon, the state disaster response agency reported late Monday.

In its 11 p.m. report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that 31,372 families or 146,444 persons in Metro Manila and other regions in Luzon have been affected by heavy to intense rains brought on by the storm-enhanced southwest monsoon since Sunday.

A big chunk of the number was recorded in Calabarzon, particularly in Cavite and Laguna provinces.

Of the affected persons, 22,271 are staying in 113 evacuation centers and 37,535 are staying with their friends or relatives.

State of calamity

The whole province of Cavite, the municipality of Narvacan in Ilocos Sur and Sta. Rosa and San Pedro towns and Biñan City in Laguna have been placed under state of calamity.

The NDRRMC earlier reported that three people have been confirmed killed and four more were reported missing due to floods caused by the non-stop rains.

The NDRRMC said that a total of 319 areas in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Ilocos region, Calabarzon and Mimaropa were reported flooded.

The worst flooding recorded since the torrential rains struck Luzon was in Laguna, particularly in the villages of Macabiling Looc and Tila in Sta. Rosa, which both went under six to seven feet deep floodwaters.

Also hit hard by flooding were at least eight towns in Cavite province. All villages in Noveleta town went under waist- to neck-deep floods.

Several roads in La Union, Benguet, Bataan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bantagas, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Mt. Province and Catanduanes were closed to traffic and impassable as of 11 p.m. due to floods.

Impassable roads in Metro Manila include:

MANILA
Quirino extension/UN Avenue
Recto-Morayta
Taft-Kalaw-Orosa
Recto Avenida (west bound)
Quezon Blvd (Paterno and Soler)
Jose Abad Santos
Tayuman
San Juan River-Gumamela Street

MAKATI CITY
Mayapa Street

PARANAQUE
SSHWest Service Road C
Sucat to Alabang

LAS PINAS
Sucat Road at International Receiver Road - Merville Subdivision
Zapote-Alabang Road
Barangay Mabolo

The suspension of classes in several areas in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon were extended until Tuesday as the weather bureau PAGASA expects the rains to continue.

List of suspension of classes, August 20 (Tuesday)