9 killed as heavy rains paralyze Metro Manila

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Residents wade along a flooded area in Marikina on Tuesday. Torrential rains pounding the Philippine capital on Tuesday paralyzed traffic as waist-deep floods triggered evacuations of tens of thousands of residents and the government suspended work in offices and schools.(AP Photo/John Javellana)
MANILA, Philippines – Nine people, including three children, were killed while four others were injured Tuesday as continuous  heavy rains spawned by the southwest monsoon triggered a landslide in Quezon City. Emergency crews scrambled to save tens of thousands of residents, some of whom were stranded on the roofs of their inundated homes.

Six of the fatalities were identified as Jayson Baylon, 16, Jayvee Baylon, 20, Jissele Baylon, 7, Jonathan Castulo, 3, Junica Castulo, 3, Jessie Baylon, 24, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The injured were identified as Kidskin Simbulan, 40, and Leslyn Simbulan, 19, NDRRMC said.
Up to forty six cities and municipalities in Regions 1, 3, 4-A and NCR have been affected by flooding, according to the latest report of NDRRMC.
As much as 541,498 people have been affected by the rains so far, it said.

Relentless rains submerged half of the sprawling Metro Manila, triggered a landslide that killed eight people and sent emergency crews scrambling Tuesday to rescue and evacuate tens of thousands of residents.

The deluge, the worst since 2009 when hundreds died in rampaging flash floods, was set off by the seasonal monsoon that overflowed major dams and rivers in Manila and surrounding provinces.

Executive Director Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in a televised press briefing that the landslide, which occurred in Barangay (village) Commonwealth, was due to saturated soil.

“It’s like a water world,” said Ramos, adding that the rains flooded 50 percent of metropolitan Manila on Monday evening, and about 30 percent remained under waist- or neck-deep waters Tuesday.

He urged residents in areas prone to landslides and floods to stay in evacuation centers. Because the soil is saturated, even a little rain could be dangerous, he added.
“Now that it’s getting dark, I would like to repeat, if the rains are heavy you should be at the evacuation centers,” he said, warning that rescue operations are more difficult at night and could put responders at risk.

State weather bureau said a separate tropical storm off eastern China had intensified monsoon rains in the Philippines, which were forecast to last until Thursday.
The Philippine National Police has ordered the evacuation of residents near the landslide area to avoid further casualties from possible landslides.


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