|
Saturday, September 17, 2005
3 people swept away by flood; 1 dead, 2 missing
MANILA -- Three persons living near a river in Barangay Cupang in Muntinlupa City were swept away Friday by floodwaters brought about by continuous rains that have pounded Metro Manila and nearby provinces since Thursday night.
One of the victims, identified as Alexander Bihag, 24, was found floating lifeless at Laguna de Bay at 11:30 a.m. Friday. His nieces Alison, 2, and Angel Analupa, 1, remained missing as of late afternoon.
Garbage-clogged drainage canals were blamed for the quick rise and slow retreat of floodwaters in metropolitan Manila, officials said.
It said more than 300 people were evacuated from low-lying areas around Manila.
The three swept away by an overflowing creek were preparing to abandon their house, the Office of the Civil Defense reported, adding it was searching for the victims. Rescuers also searched a river in nearby Parañaque City.
The children had been living with their grandfather Fred Bihag, who told authorities that he was outside when raging floodwaters suddenly swamped their shanty.
A report from the civil defense based in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City said three other houses along the riverbank occupied by the families of Belan Macalalang, Maritess Francia, and Gloria Banera were also destroyed by the flood. All members of the three families, however, were safe.
The long downpour has caused creeks and rivers to overflow and flooded large parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces. It also rendered some major roads in the metropolis impassable to vehicles.
Areas submerged in floodwaters as of Friday morning were the stretch of Sucat Road in Paranaque City; Larangay, Catmon, Letre and Governor Pascual in Malabon City; Barangays Pulo, Balagtas and Balaong in Valenzuela City; and Monumento Circle, C-4 Letre and Sangandaan in Caloocan City; V. Mapa, Pureza, Old Sta. Mesa and Ramon Magsaysay in Manila; some low-lying areas in Quezon City; Barangays Sucat, Buli and Cupang in Muntinlupa City; and San Pedro Street, Emma House Subdivision, BF Resort, and Zapote Road in Las Piñas City.
In Marikina City, the water level in Tumana River in Barangay Concepcion Uno has reached 16 meters, prompting more than 100 families living near the river to vacate their houses temporarily until the waters have subsided.
MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said the flooding in Metro Manila was the result of the heavy rains. He said they had been dredging all creeks in Metro Manila for the past weeks but heavy rains caught up with their work.
Fernando said flood emergency teams of the agency will assist flooded localities.
A swollen river, meanwhile, flooded a major highway in northern Aurora Province with up to three meters (10 feet) of water, forcing authorities to reroute traffic.
The Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) said they closed both lanes of the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) from Thursday night to Friday dawn and they only reopened the road to vehicular traffic in the morning when floodwaters receded.
The central part of Aurora also has been without electricity since late Thursday, the civil defense office said.
The Talaba Bridge going to Bacoor, Cavite was also impassable to vehicles due to floodwaters.
In Candaba town in Pampanga Province, five villages were under water while 15 others were also flooded in Cavite Province. The report did not say how many people were affected.
Landslides blocked a highway and 15 families living near a river had to be evacuated in Real town in Quezon province.
Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Anthony Golez said the incessant rains were brought about by an active low pressure area spotted 60 kilometers southeast of Iba, Zambales. It was moving towards Southern Luzon and Visayas region as of 2 p.m. Friday.
From Friday until Saturday morning, Golez said Central and Southern Luzon and Western Visayas would experience rains while Mindanao would have cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.
He also said light to moderate winds would also prevail over the country and coastal waters would be slight to moderate.
Forecaster Lucrecio About said the weather is expected to improve by Monday as the low pressure area moves over the South China Sea away from the country. (JFF/Sunnex/With AP)
(September 17, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Formal probe set v. Cebu legislator, 8 others