Thursday, August 26, 2004 Torrential rains, floods hit metro
* 4 kids dead
* Classes, work suspended; flights cancelled
TORRENTIAL rains, considered as the highest volume ever recorded so far this year, hit Metro Manila and nearby areas, causing a landslide in a suburb and flooding in many parts of the metropolis where two other youngsters drown.
A four-year-old boy died in a landslide in San Mateo town in Rizal while a one-year-old girl drowned in a flood in the same town. In Novaliches, two youngsters also drowned.
The bad weather and floods prompted the Department of Education (DepEd) to suspend classes in the elementary and high school levels, suspension of work in many offices and the cancellation of some local and international flights.
Heavy rains started pouring at 1 a.m. and continued until Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), it recorded 39 milliliters (ml) of rain per hour in Metro Manila, making it the highest rainfall level recorded in the National Capital Region (NCR) so far this year.
The average rainfall volume in NCR is 7.5 ml per hour.
A report from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) identified the four-year-old fatality in a landslide that hit a subdivision in Barangay Silangan, San Mateo, Rizal, as Jeremy Laurio of Sierra Monte subdivision.
Several houses were also destroyed in the landslide.
Members of the Rizal provincial search and rescue team were able to evacuate people in the area before the landslide took place.
The local government of San Mateo brought the displaced families to the evacuation centers situated near the municipal hall.
The identities of the other victims were unavailable.
Monsoon rains flooded large areas of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Major thoroughfares like Tayuman Street, Espana Road, Blumentritt Street, Quezon Boulevard, Taft and Recto Avenues in Manila; and stretches of Quezon, East, Araneta, Commonwealth, E. Rodriguez, Ramon Magsaysay, Agham and Kaingin Bukid in Quezon City were submerged in flood.
In some places, the flood was chest deep.
Heavy flooding also hit McArthur Highway and Rizal Avenues in Caloocan City; M.H. del Pilar Street, Espirito Sanchez Street and five barangays in Malabon City; and huge areas of Navotas City, Marikina City, Mandaluyong City and Valenzuela.
Some barangays in Cainta and Taytay, Rizal and in Malolos and Bocaue, Bulacan were also submerged in floodwaters.
The Department of Education (DepEd) suspended classes in all levels due to the flooding. Work is both private and government agencies were also suspended.
Flights to Taiwan and Batanes were also cancelled, it was learned from the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa).
The Pagasa said there are no typhoons in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) but two weather disturbances (international codenames Aera and Chaba) have been spotted near Batanes province.
The heavy rains, the weather bureau said, were brought by the southwest monsoon, which intensified because of Aere and Chaba. (Sunnex Luzon/JFF)
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