Sudden downpour floods parts of Metro Manila, traffic flow slows down

A sudden downpour to parts of Pasig City on Tuesday evening, July 28, 2026 caused floodwaters to rise rapidly and stranding motorists and commuters.

In a report by EJ Gomez on "Saksi," several motorists and residents in Barangay Pinagbuhatan were forced to wade through knee-deep, murky, and garbage-strewn floodwaters at the height of the heavy rain.

Barangay officials explained that the area routinely floods during sudden, intense downpours because the local drainage system cannot handle the large volume of rainwater.

Following the heavy rain and flash floods, traffic built up along EDSA-Santolan heading into Pasig via Meralco Avenue around 8 p.m.

Heavy traffic was likewise observed along C. Raymundo Avenue.

At around 9 p.m., flood water along Urbano Velasco Avenue reached gutter-deep level.

"The rain was extremely heavy, and the water rose to about knee-height," a resident said.

"Students couldn't leave school, and many had to walk home through the flood. Even our barangay office was flooded, preventing us from responding immediately. It created a major disturbance for everyone," she added.

According to a councilor of Barangay Pinagbuhatan, the heavy rainfall lasted for around three hours.

"It went on continuously for almost three hours, starting from 6 p.m. until past 8 p.m.," Councilor Jess Santos said.

"The drainage system still can't handle that volume of rain because our water outfall in Acacia is too narrow, which slows down the water flow," he added.

The inclement weather likewise affected other areas of Metro Manila earlier in the day.

In Quezon City, commuters endured heavy rain and strong gusts of wind starting around 2:00 PM. In Ortigas, downpours struck past 5:00 PM and recurred before 7:00 PM. Along EDSA, the heavy rain coincided with rush hour.

According to Gomez, the barangay officials said they have ongoing flood-mitigation initiatives for the rainy season, including expanding the water outfall capacity and regularly clearing and dredging local drainage systems. — Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/BAP, GMA News