Floods hit Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – Some parts of Metro Manila were flooded due to non-stop rains Thursday, causing heavy traffic.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported waist-deep floods in Quezon City, specifically along Maria Clara St., Araneta Avenue and N.S. Amoranto St. due to the overflowing of Talayan Creek.

Honorio Lopez Blvd., from Tondo Hospital to S. De Jesus St., was submerged in 12 inches of flood due to high tide and rainshowers.

Imelda Ave. in Pasig was submerged in 19 inches of water.

MMDA advised motorists to avoid Northbound EDSA as gutter-deep flooding at P. Tuazon tunnel caused traffic to come to a standstill. Flood control units has been dispatched to area, MMDA said.

Gutter-deep flooding was also seen in Maceda, España in Manila.

As of 6 p.m., no flooding was reported along C-5 road.

According to MMDA, traffic along EDSA-Roxas northbound is moderate, while southbound is moderate.

In EDSA-Orense, northbound (Ayala to Cubao) is having slow traffic, while southbound (Timog-Ortigas) is moderate.

In EDSA-Connecticut, both lanes are having moderate to heavy traffic, while Commonwealth-PHILCOA has clear roads. There are no reports of flooding along these areas.

Flooding in QC
Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista said his city’s Risk Reduction Management Council is currently addressing the flooding problem in his jurisdiction.

"Like [Barangay] Roxas, sa may area ng Quezon Boulevard and Araneta Avenue especially now na nag-start ang mga constructions diyan and some areas pa sa Quezon City na I think are flooded," Bautista said in an interview on ANC’s The Rundown.

He added that motorists in Quezon City are also having difficulties because of the traffic caused by flooding.

"Traffic is really terrible now kasi naghahanap ng alternative routes ang mga motorists ngayon sa loob ng Quezon City. The [city's] Department of Public Order and Safety is doing their best to alleviate traffic in the area," said Bautista.