Manila: A large portion of Metro Manila on Saturday was once more submerged in floods as a result of heavy rains that fell overnight.
Several roads and highways had been closed to traffic as the rains caused knee deep floods, stranding thousands of commuters on the way to work.
According to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Francis Tolentino, several roads in Manila and the suburbs of Makati, Quezon City, San Juan, Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas area were closed to vehicles, except for buses, due to the floods.
Earlier, Tolentino said that a major rework of Metro Manila’s storm drainage system is necessary to avoid flooding which has been increasingly affecting life in the Metropolis.
Aside from Metro Manila, heavy rains likewise also fell in the provinces of Quezon (19.8 mm), Tanay (63mm) and Infanta.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), southwestern monsoons, combining with the effects of Typhoon Sanba (local codename “Karen”) had brought heavy overnight rains on Saturday.
By itself, Sanba, despite its 185 km/h, winds is not expected to have much effect to the weather in the Philippines as it is too far and is already entering the area of responsibility of Taiwan and Japan, however, the southwest monsoon has caused considerably heavy rains over a large area of the northern main island of Luzon, particularly Metro Manila.
Heavy overnight rains also caused the dams in Luzon to reach critical level.
According to the PAGASA, the Ipo Dam in Bulacan as well as the Binga Dam was forced to release water as levels reach overflow limits.
The effects of the heavy rains also prompted the Philippine National Railways to stop train trips in Southern Metro Manila.
Except for the heavy rains that inconvenienced motorists and flooded roads and residences, the effect of the overnight monsoons had been minimal compared to previous weather disturbances that visited the country.
Southwestern monsoons that lashed the same areas of the country caused considerable damage that amounted to billions of pesos in the early part of August.
Every year, dozens of lives are lost due to calamities caused by heavy seasonal rains as well as tropical cyclones.
