PHILIPPINES: Residents begin to clean up as floods from heavy rains that has swamped part of the country start receding

Record ID: 618801

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Residents begin to clean up as floods from heavy rains that has swamped part of the country start receding
  • Date: 22nd August 2013
  • Summary: PAMPANGA PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (AUGUST 22, 2013) (REUTERS) WOMEN WADING THROUGH FLOODED ROAD TRUCK MOVING ON FLOODED ROAD SHANTIES SUBMERGED IN FLOOD WATER PEOPLE ON SMALL FISHING BOAT AS IT PASSES THROUGH WAIST DEEP FLOOD WATER PEOPLE WADING THROUGH KNEE-DEEP FLOODWATERS (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) VILLAGE OFFICIAL ROLANDO YABUT SAYING: "We pray the weather conditions will im
  • Embargoed: 6th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Disasters,Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVAH7J9NI9HTFSCV2U7HT2ZZQ4A
  • Story Text: Heavy rains caused by a monsoon, triggered landslides and flash floods in the Philippines, have killed at least 16 people, officials said on Thursday (August 22).
    The southwest monsoon, which lasts from June to September, was intensified by tropical storm Trami and brought torrential rains to Manila and nearby provinces of Luzon Island, affecting more one million people during the past four days.
    The local weather bureau has lifted the rainfall warning earlier today, but light passing rains are still expected.
    Several low-lying towns in the heavily hit Pampanga province, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Manila, were still under waist-deep floods due to a nearby river which has yet to completely recede.
    Village official Rolando Yabut hoped that the clearer skies would continue.
    "We pray the weather conditions will improve and the rain will stop, so the villagers can finally relax. Some of them are too anxious to eat because they were worried about their flooded homes," he said.
    Cleanup operations have begun in Manila's eastern suburb of Marikina, with major roads being cleared of mud and debris.
    About 600 families living near the Marikina River are still staying at an evacuation centre as the water levels from the river have yet to recede.
    Editha Regodo said her family will wait until they were completely safe from danger.
    "Whenever I see the sky darken, I get scared because the water could rise," she said.
    School Principal Remia Ricabar said although the nearby Marikina River has subsided from its 19-metre critical level on Wednesday (August 21), they still have to wait until it dips to 13 metres as a safety precaution.
    "We do not encourage them to return because the water from the river is still 16.5 metres, and it's still unsafe for them to return," she said.
    The national disaster agency has estimated the damage to infrastructure and agriculture to be around 79 million pesos ($1.8 million USD).
    About 20 typhoons hit the Southeast Asian country each year, often bringing death and destruction.
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