by Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC)
Thursday, Aug. 09, 2012 at 7:05 PM epccla02@yahoo.com 213-241-0995 1610 Beverly Blvd. Suite No. 2 Los Angeles, CA 90026
The whole of greater Manila region and its suburbs were hit by floods as high as one story building, caused by a 36 non – stop hours rain caused by southwest monsoon ( Hanging Habagat) from the south aggravated by three typhoons that brought torrential rains. Millions of people living in the National Capital Region (NCR) were affected.
According to the EPCC NEWS, It has been raining non-stop in the Philippines for more than 11 days due to the arrival of three thypoons and the presence of the southwest monsoon. Millions of people were affected in 20 cities and 9 provinces in the main island of Luzon. Electricty and water were cut-off aggravating the situation.
According to EPCC-LA Philippine sources, the floods were aggravated by 5 dams (like Angat, La Mesa, Ipo) around Metro Manila remained opened to avoid the dams from breaking. Add the high tide from Manila Bay, flood pronged areas like Malabon,Navotas, Quezon City and Manila became a lake and a part of the bay.
EPCC NEWS August 8, 2012
GREAT FLOODS HITS METRO MANILA, SUBURBS
Los Angeles—The whole of greater Manila region and its suburbs were hit by floods as high as one story building, caused by a 36 non – stop hours rain caused by southwest monsoon ( Hanging Habagat) from the south aggravated by three typhoons that brought torrential rains. Millions of people living in the National Capital Region (NCR) were affected.
According to the EPCC NEWS, It has been raining non-stop in the Philippines for more than 11 days due to the arrival of three thypoons and the presence of the southwest monsoon. Millions of people were affected in 20 cities and 9 provinces in the main island of Luzon. Electricty and water were cut-off aggravating the situation.
According to EPCC-LA Philippine sources, the floods were aggravated by 5 dams (like Angat, La Mesa, Ipo) around Metro Manila remained opened to avoid the dams from breaking. Add the high tide from Manila Bay, flood pronged areas like Malabon,Navotas, Quezon City and Manila became a lake and a part of the bay.
Even traditionally high areas never hit by big floods were flooded. All the rivers from Laguna Lake to Pasig to Manggahan, Marikina and Montalban overflowed its bank causing millions of people to rush to their roofs and asked for rescue. At as the press, the floods reached the 2nd floor of the UST Hospital in Manila causing an evacuation of patients and hospital personnel.
A fire started in upper floor of the Quezon City Hall when flood waters reached the electrical circuits. MERALCo cut the lines due of fears of electrocution due to the waters that is getting high. As of the press time, floods are still rising with the rains without letting up.
With the lack of potable water, electricity, food and transportation, the Philippines was again hit like a World War disaster. As usual, the government is asking for more donations for it reported being short of “more than 300,00 bags of relief goods”. Many Filipinos abroad are responding for this traditional relief giving when natural disasters come to the country.
Meanwhile politicians like Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte are hell-bent in changing the constitution called Charter Change (Cha-Cha) to accommodate the whims of foreigners to open up the Philippines to more mining and logging that cause thesis great floods.
President Aquino III is now tacitly supporting the call for Charter Change. We might as well expect more disasters like this and Ondoy in the future if Charter Change is affected.