‘Phenomenal’ rainfall overwhelms Quezon City’s drainage system

MANILA, Philippines — The extreme amount of rain experienced in just one hour in Quezon City on Saturday overwhelmed the city’s drainage system, submerging even areas that have not been flooded in years.

Rain gauges recorded as much as 121 millimeters of rain in Quezon City between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., surpassing the estimated 90mm per hour registered during Storm Ondoy in 2009.

“The rainfall can be described as ‘phenomenal’ or extraordinary, with the heaviest downpour recorded in Quezon City and Nangka in Marikina,” the local government said on Saturday night.

“The city’s drainage system could not withstand the massive volume of rainfall that fell in such a short period, resulting in severe flooding, even in areas that are not usually prone to floods,” it added.

Parts of Katipunan Avenue and even areas within the campuses of Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines were also submerged.

Floods about five feet deep were reported in Daang Tubo in Barangay UP Campus, Tabing Ilog street in Barangay Apolonio Samson and Lower Mangga street in Barangay Katipunan hours after the rainfall.

Although the floods subsided within hours, almost 3,000 people in 15 barangays in Quezon City remained in evacuation centers as of yesterday afternoon.

The local government has deployed personnel in flooded areas to conduct cleanup and declogging activities.

City hall reiterated its commitment to the immediate and continuous improvement of the city’s drainage system, in line with the drainage masterplan that it developed with the UP Resilience Institute.

“The local government remains committed to fully implementing the drainage masterplan as a long-term and effective solution to flooding in the city, rather than relying on flood control projects that have not undergone the proper review and study of the local government,” it said.