Nine Dead, Over One Million Displaced As Tropical Storm Triggers 3 Days Of Rains In Philippines

Philippines

Nine people
were killed and
one million displaced as Tropical Storm Trami
triggered southwest monsoon rains that flooded in
three days two thirds of the Philippines, including
Metro Manila which was 80 per cent submerged,
officials have said.

Nelson Faustino Jr, 20, drowned when he and his
companions tried to cross a river at the boundary
of Teresa and Morong in Metro Manila’s eastern
suburban Rizal on Tuesday, making him the ninth
fatality after three days of relentless rains left one
million people in 1,028 villages, 80 towns, 35 cities
in northern and southern Luzon, including Metro
Manila homeless, said Undersecretary Eduardo del
Rosario, head of the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

“After two days of rains since Sunday, the streets
near Quezon City’s East Riverside turned into
lakes. Our houses near the riverbank were like
boats on a raging river,” recalled Wilmer Toleng,
adding that his father “Boy,” a stroke victim, was
hoisted out of the house through the roof and
brought to a safe area, across a small street that
was a virtual lake, with the help of a rope strung
on houses.

“We didn’t have time to look around when we left
our home,” said Toleng, adding, “We ran away
fast. I didn’t cry. I tried to be strong because I
wanted to save my parents, brothers, sisters.
nieces and nephews from the flood.”

The ten metre deep river bank where his house
perched overflowed and flooded the streets more
than three metre high.

On Tuesday, 60 per cent of Metro Manila was
flooded, but 80 per cent was eventually
submerged on Wednesday, said del Rosario.

Poor residents of Tumana, in Marikina, a flood
prone area, were rescued from the rising floods
until late afternoon of Tuesday. They were brought
to an evacuation center and were not allowed to
return to their homes on Wednesday, said a social
worker.

Marikina River rose again on Wednesday because
a counterpart dam opened several gates to release
water.

Public and private relief operations were mobilised
nationwide in all affected areas.

The St. Domingo Catholic Church in Quezon City
opened its wide sanctuary to the homeless and
called for relief assistance from social workers, but
priest warned that politicians should bring in
goods without cameramen.

President Benigno Aquino visited a school in
Binan, Laguna, southern Luzon on Wednesday. It
was a hard hit area. “You’re government is here,”
said Aquino in a covered court in San Pedro,
Laguna,
Manila Archbishop Antonio Tagle called for
prayers and the revival of the “Bayanihan” spirit,
or assistance for calamity victims.

Local government leaders also declared majority
of affected areas in a state of calamity.
About 20 typhoons visit the Philippines every year,
starting June.