MANILA – Tropical storm “Mario” has ravaged Friday much of the Philippine capital as weather experts warned of more rains in the next two days.
At least 3 people were reported killed and tens of thousands more were affected by flash floods after rivers and dams overflowed. Civilian and military rescuers and emergency workers have been deployed to flooded areas.
The Philippine Atmospheric and Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the storm system has sustained winds of 85 kph and is heading to northern Luzon.
Much of the Metropolitan Manila was flooded and many areas become impassable leaving many people stranded and unable to go home or travel. Some areas were placed under a state of calamity due to severe flooding.
The national government suspended all classes in public and private school, and work in government offices except for agencies whose work involves the delivery of basic and health services, disaster response and other vital public services, but the order came too late.
The suspension of work covered government offices in Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, including Polillo Island; Mindoro Provinces, Camarines Norte, Marinduque and Pangasinan.
PAGASA said the storm will also affect the provinces of Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands, Isabela, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Aurora, Ifugao, Nueva Viscaya, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Quirino, La Union and Batanes Group of Islands. (Mindanao Examiner)
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