Typhoons

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Rains bring floods to Metro Manila, Cavite

Residents in several areas of Metro Manila and Cavite province had a rude awakening Thursday after rains since midnight flooded their neighborhoods.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) insisted there were no floods in the metropolis, but floodwaters were ankle- and shin-deep in southern Metro Manila.

A representative from the MMDA flood monitoring unit told dzBB radio that as of 6 a.m., "only" the Navotas-Malabon area was flooded because of high tide, and predawn floods in other areas of Metro Manila had already subsided.

During the Thursday morning rush hour grind, the stretch of Quezon Avenue to Ortigas along EDSA was snarled after traffic authorities rerouted traffic entering Pasig City.

In Makati City, radio dzBB reported that floods were gutter-deep in several streets, while floods along Medina Street near the local estero (creek) were ankle-deep.

Garbage was seen floating in the floodwaters near the Makati estero, exposing local residents to possible diseases such as diarrhea and leptospirosis.

In Manila, several portions of Taft Avenue were flooded, inconveniencing commuters waiting for bus or jeep rides.

In Malabon City, floodwaters reached half the height of bus tires along Letre Road. Making matters worse for motorists and commuters passing through Letre Road was that nearby diggings added to the flooding.

In Valenzuela City, even the local police station was flooded as floods were gutter-deep in several streets.

In Parañaque City, floods slowed down traffic at the busy Coastal Road and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Roads.

Visibility in the area was low, forcing motorists to turn on their cars' high beams.

Floods also slowed traffic at the Bacoor-Zapote area in Cavite province. The area in Cavite near the flyover connecting to the Coastal Road was similarly flooded.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 5 a.m. Thursday, there was no weather disturbance in Philippine territory.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, it said Luzon, mostly the eastern section will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast and north will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the northwest and west with slight to moderate seas.

[neilski "mr.pogi"]

After typhoons, NDCC begins rehabilitation

Now that the threats from typhoons "Lando" and "Mina" are over, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has started its rehabilitation efforts to assist affected residents in various provinces.

Radio dzBB reported Thursday morning that Anthony Golez Jr,
NDCC deputy administrator, ordered his office to coordinate with government repair crews to fix key roads and bridges.

Golez also ordered close coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Armed Forces engineering brigade.

The NDCC said "Mina" caused at least 19 deaths, while "Lando" caused 17, including three fatalities from the sinking of a motorized outrigger off Batangas when "Lando" returned to the Philippines.

Damage to infrastructure caused by "Mina" alone had reached P162.017 million, while damage to agriculture reached P109.648 million.

Education officials reported some P210.825 million in damage to schoolbuildings. The NDCC also said at least 3,733 houses were damaged, 134 of them totally.

Still impassable to motorists are Cabagan-Sta. Maria Overflow Bridge due to the swollen Cagayan River; Minanga Overflow Bridge, Naguilian-San Marcelino Road due to swollen Cagayan River; Laoag Bridge, Laoag Section, San Agustin, and Ipil-Quirino Boundary Road due to washed-out detour road.

In Quirino province, Cordon-Aurora Boundary Road and Disimungal-Aurora Section in Nagtipunan are now passable to heavy vehicles.

The following roads were deemed not passable to motorists as of posting time:

• Bambang-Kasibu-Quezon-Solano Road and the Papaya-Malabing-Wangal-Tadji-Runruno Road in Nueva Vizcaya. The pavement became thick with mud.

• Aurora-Quirino Road Siguem-Biyoy Section in Kasibu in Nueva Vizcaya. The Siguem River overflowed.

• Pinacanauan Overflow Bridge in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan. Five panels were washed away.

• Itawes Bridge in Tuao, Cagayan. The Chico River overflowed.

• Logac-Lasam-Gagabutan Road in Lasam in Cagayan. The area was flooded.

• Cadcadir-Cabugao Road in Claveria, Cagayan. The Pared River overflowed.

• Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road (Cabatangan River, Villa Aurora village) and Dinadiawan-Madella Road, both in Nueva Ecija. These roads were flooded and hit by landslides.

• Sacpil and Manawig bridge of Conner, Apayao. The structure was hit by at least one landslide.

• Calanan-Pinukpok-Abbot Road (Saltan detour bridge, Apayao). The area was flooded.


Vehicular flow was hampered in these roads:

• the alternate route for Nueva Ecija-Aurora Road or the San Luis-Ma. Aurora-Castaneda Road via Pantabangan Baler-Casiguran Road. The area was flooded.

• Bongabon-Rizal Road in Nueva Ecija. Hardly passable to all types of vehicles due to a partially eroded road.

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'Mina' toll rises to 29 dead, 5 injured - NDCC

The death toll due to the wrath of typhoon "Mina" (international name: Mitag) has swelled to 29, disaster management officials said on their early Thursday morning report.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said there were also five injured and 10 others missing.

In its 6 a.m. update, the NDCC said seven fatalities were recorded in the Bicol region, 10 in the Cordillera Administrative Region, seven in Cagayan Valley, and one in the Ilocos Region.