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Typhoon Ulysses: Heavy floods as Marikina River reaches Ondoy level


Typhoon Ulysses continued to bring heavy downpour in Luzon, causing widespread flashfloods in areas in its wake that led to numerous calls on social media for rescue.

In Marikina City, the river's water level has reached 21.8 meters as of 9:14 a.m., breaching the level of Ondoy in 2009.

City mayor Marcy Teodoro admitted that authorities were overwhelmed by the situation, as evacuation centers have become packed even as residents in several areas awaited rescue with floods reaching the second floor of houses.

"Nao-overwhelm na kami sa extent, magnitude ng baha na nararanasan namin," the mayor said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, referring to the widespread flooding that occurred during Tropical Storm Ondoy's onslaught in 2009.

 

 

Teodoro appealed to the Philippine Coast Guard for help.

"Kung makakatugon sila sa lalong madaling panahon sana," he said.

The mayor said they need additional rescue boats and rescue personnel. Many residents were stranded and some of them had hypothermia, he said.

Boat rescue

In neighboring San Mateo town in Rizal, floodwaters led authorities to use a motor boat to conduct rescue operations in Barangay Guitnangbayan.

Photos and video taken by GMA News' James Agustin showed the situation in Barangay Guitnangbayan.

 

 

On social media, numerous residents in San Mateo have posted about the need to be rescued because of the flash floods.

In Rodriguez, Rizal, child star Kenken Nuyad took to Facebook Live to plead for rescue as floodwaters reached the roof level of his neighborhood. In the video, he showed the flood levels from his home on Facebook while asking for help.

 

 

 

 

 

The Marikina River valley was far from the only place affected by the flashfloods.

In Noveleta town in Cavite, hundreds of residents are trapped in their houses due to flood, causing a major river to overflow.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Noveleta Mayor Dino Chua said heavy rains caused Ilang-Ilang River to overflow, sending floodwater that forced authorities to close the Noveleta crossing to vehicles.

Chua also confirmed police reports that some 1,000 residents in the towns are trapped on roofs of their houses.

The mayor said that they are already asking the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Red Cross to send in rubber boats to rescue the trapped residents.

Calls for rescue

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) gave assurance that it is responding to calls for rescue.

"Nakapag-deploy na kami ng Coast Guard team with rescue boats kanina pang madaling araw," NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita, when asked about some residents in Rodriguez, Rizal who were already staying on the rooftops.

Timbal said they have been receiving many calls from people asking to be rescued.

"Marami pong tumatawag. Our rescue teams have been deployed. Naiintindihan po namin ang inyong sitwasyon. Konting antay lang po. Eto po, minamadali namin," he said.

Metro Manila remained under Signal No. 3 along with eight other areas as Ulysses was spotted about to leave the Luzon landmass, according to PAGASA's 8 a.m. weather advisory.

A red rainfall warning is up over Metro Manila and nearby provinces as of 8 a.m., indicating that heavy rainfall is expected.

In Bulacan, Ipo Dam began spilling operations. Residents of low-lying areas, including those living near the river bank of Angat River as well as residents of Norzagaray, Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliuag, Pulilan, Plaridel, and Hagonoy were advised to be on alert for floodings or flash floods.

Red alert status has also been raised at La Mesa Dam. Residents living along the bank of Tullahan River were advised to evacuate as flooding is expected in the area. —JST, GMA News

Tags: ondoy, ulysses, marikina, weather
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