The heavy downpours on Tuesday resulted in flooding in the major thoroughfares, prompting Malacañang to suspend government office work and afternoon classes in all levels in the public schools in Metro Manila.
Motorists and commuters faced heavy traffic during the morning rush hours along the major arteries including España Boulevard, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon Boulevard, Araneta Avenue, Quirino Avenue and Roxas Boulevard, which were affected by flash floods.
In other developments:
• A total of 351 seagoing passengers, five vessels, and three motorboats were stranded in Cagayan and Palawan due to the rain brought by tropical depression “Henry,” the National Disaster Risk Response and Management Council said in an update on Tuesday.
AFP with Ey Acasio and Norman Cruz
• A landslide hit the Kaybiang Tunnel Road in Cavite’s upland town of Maragondon around 4 am Tuesday, rendering the tunnel impassable to motorists.
• The Philippine National Railways suspended trips on Tuesday due to the rain caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon.
In its advisory, the Metro Manila Development Authority said various parts of Metro Manila were flooded and not passable to light vehicles.
Sharon Gentalian, head of the MMDA’s public information office, said Barangay Tatalon in Roxas District and E. Rodriguez Avenue near Delos Santos Medical City, both in Quezon City, were not passable to all types of vehicles as of 9 am due to waist- and knee-deep floods.
Gutter-deep floods also caused vehicles to slow down along the northbound lane of Aurora Boulevard tunnel in Cubao and on the westbound lane of Doña Carmen, also in Quezon City, while the northbound lane of R. Papa Street was reported not passable to light vehicles.
The other areas affected by floods included Ortigas Avenue near De La Salle University and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, parts of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Taft Avenue in Pasay City, Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City and T.M. Kalaw in Manila.
AFP with Ey Acasio and Norman Cruz
“The MMDA is also suspending the implementation of the number coding [scheme] for city buses and private vehicles,” Gentalian said.
In Makati City, Mayor Abigail Binay ordered the suspension of the afternoon classes in all levels in both public and private schools because of the “Orange Warning” issued by the weather bureau.
The MMDA deployed 16 personnel in the strategic locations to ease traffic and flooding problems.
AFP with Ey Acasio and Norman Cruz
MMDA officials said various parts of Metro Manila were prone to floods but the waters were subsiding faster because of the government’s pumping stations and other flood-control projects.”¬ With PNA
