700 Cainta families flee homes due to Enteng

At least 700 families were evacuated, including children, senior citizens, and persons with disability (PWD) in Cainta, Rizal due to Severe Tropical Storm Enteng.

According to a 24 Oras report, Cainta was one of the first areas affected by Enteng in the province of Rizal.

One of the first areas to be flooded by the storm was Imelda Avenue in Barangay San Andres and the adjacent subdivisions.

“Napakarami po nilang stranded sa Village East,” said Barangay Captain Janine Tacsagon.

(There are so many of them stranded in Village East.)

According to the local government of Cainta, the situation worsened when several subdivision walls collapsed due to the rushing water from Antipolo. 

In Vista Verde Subdivision, houses were submerged, including the family home of senior citizen Jerry Ligutan.

The report said roads were impassable to cars, leaving people with no choice but to wade through the flood.

The subsiding flood revealed another problem - garbage blocking waterways.

According to the municipality, all seven barangays of Cainta were flooded, and 700 families or 1,500 individuals were evacuated.

“Tinatanggap namin ang tubig mula sa bundok at ibang bayan, tatawid sa amin creeks, at the same time, tinatanggap namin ang tubig mula sa langit, so the volume is very high,” said Mayor Ellen Nieto.

(We receive water from the mountains and other towns, creeks will cross the area, and at the same time, we receive water from the sky, so the volume is very high.)

She said that the municipality was focusing on programs to finance the construction of pumping stations. Hopefully, the national government would also support the effort.

"We plan to install three more, ongoing talks with DWPH. Another bigger pumping station, and hopefully tuloy ang flood gate namin," she added.

(Another bigger pumping station, and hopefully, our floodgate will be completed.) — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News