Rains still expected in Metro Manila; 'yellow warning' up

MANILA (Updated 8:31 a.m.) -- The weather bureau raised the rainfall warning to yellow in Metro Manila as the southwest monsoon (“habagat”) still prevails over Luzon Thursday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issued the yellow warning signal at 7 a.m. Thursday with which 7.5 to 15 millimeters (mm) of rains are observed in one hour and are expected to continue in the next two hours (hrs).

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim earlier placed the country's capital under a state of calamity after continuous rains submerged 60 percent of its roads in floodwater.

The declaration of state of calamity would facilitate the use of funds to aid affected families and expedite rehabilitation efforts.

Pagasa also said heavy to intense (20.0-30.0 mm/hr) rains are expected over north of Caloocan and Quezon City, while light to moderate (2.0-7.0 mm/hr) over Marikina, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.

The weather agency said that due to the effect of the series of thunderstorms embedded in the southwest monsoon, expect light to moderate (2.0-8.0 mm/hr) rains with occasional heavy to intense (15.0-30.0 mm/hr) rains over Camava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela), Quezon, Manila, Marikina cities and nearby areas within two hrs.

Work, classes suspension

All Thursday classes, from preschool to postgraduate, in the National Capital Region, and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal are suspended.

This is contained in the Memorandum Circular 34 issued by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa on Wednesday night.

Due to continuous monsoon rains, work in all courts in the National Capital Region including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals is also suspended Thursday.

Forced evacuation in Marikina

Residents of low-lying areas along Marikina River were told to evacuate early Thursday morning after the swollen waterway once again hit critical level due to intense rainfall.

A warning siren was also continuously rang, signaling forced evacuation.

“Please wake up now and move away from the low-lying areas along Marikina River including Tumana and Provident,” said Professor Mahar Lagmay on his official Twitter account, @nababaha.

Lagmay is the director of the government’s Project Noah (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards).

Around 3 a.m., the water level at the Upper Marikina River in Montalban Rizal rose as high as 28.14 meters, which is higher than those recorded in the previous days, according to Lagmay. The number is way beyond the critical level of 15 meters.

“Tataas ang tubig ng Marikina River, mas mataas kaysa kahapon at noong isang araw. Lahat ng nasa tabing ilog ng Marikina, move now (The water level in Marikina River will rise, higher than yesterday and the other day. Those who are living along the riverbank, move now),” said Lagmay.

As of 8 a.m., the water level at the Upper Markina River is at 26.68 meters.

Water level at the Sto. Niño station also reached 19.55 meters around 2:20 a.m., according to Lagmay, saying the water level will still rise and it will be fast. More than an hour later, it was already at 20.04 meters.

Water level is still around 20 meters at the Sto. Niño station as of 8 a.m.

Residents who were forced to evacuate may stay at Parang Elementary School and Malanday Elementary School for those from Malanday and Tumana Elementary School and Parang Elementary School for those from Tumana.

Those from Concepcion could evacuate to H. Baustisa Elementary School, Concepcion Integrated School, Concepcion Elementary School, Marikina Elementary School, and St. Nicolas School.

Pagasa warned those living in low-lying areas and along mountain slopes to be on alert for possible occurrence of flash floods and landslides.

Mindanao will have mostly scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, while Visayas will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over Luzon and Western Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the south to southwest with slight to moderate seas.

Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and Zamboanga cities will be partly cloudy to mostly cloudy, with scattered rains and thunderstorms.

The weather bureau also issued a gale warning for Luzon's seaboards, where strong to gale force winds are expected.

Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves, it said. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/PNA/Sunnex)