No possible national blackout: Meralco

MANILA -- The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) denied rumors circulating online that a power blackout might hit the entire country on Tuesday afternoon or evening due to the torrential rains and flooding caused by the typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon.

"There is NO truth to a tweet that states of a possible national blackout. Meralco is ONLY de-energizing areas that are SEVERELY FLOODED," Meralco said in its official Twitter account, @meralco.

On late Tuesday afternoon, "National Blackout" briefly became a trending topic on Twitter after numerous posts from random accounts encouraged netizens to charge their electric gadgets as there will allegedly be a countrywide power failure for the remainder of the day.

The rumors of a national blackout probably started after severely flooded parts of Metro Manila experienced power interruptions.

On Tuesday morning, Meralco said through Twitter that it will cut off electrical power in all areas experiencing heavy flooding in Metro Manila. It also advised citizens to turn off their homes' main power switch if already flooded.

"For flooded areas, we may have to cut power so as not to compromise the safety of the residents in the area," Meralco tweeted in reply to some netizens' queries.

Some of the affected areas include portions of Espana, New Manila, and portion of La Loma, Manila as the Sampaloc substation "has been de-energized due to severe flooding in the area."

Meralco's franchise area only covers the greater Manila area and some nearby provinces. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)