STORY: :: Heavy rain from Typhoon Gaemi floods
Manila’s streets, stranding commuters
:: July 24, 2024
:: Manila, Philippines
:: Residents in some areas were forced
from their homes by the flooding
:: Yonon Ferreras, Village leader
“The effect of this on residents is trauma, fear, uncertainty, and worry since the floodwaters continue to rise at this moment.”
“Right now and even since yesterday we are calling for a forced evacuation of residents, especially those living beside the river.”
Residents waded through waist-deep floodwater in the capital city of Manila, some sitting in makeshift buoyant containers to stay dry while others ferry them across inundated streets.
The presidential office suspended classes at all academic levels and work in most government offices in the capital region, which is composed of 16 cities and home to at least 13 million people, because of the tropical storm.
Gaemi, with maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometres per hour (96.3 mph) and gustiness of up to 190 kph, was heading towards Taiwan, the Philippines’ state weather agency said in a 5 a.m. bulletin. It did not make landfall but it is enhancing a southwest monsoon, resulting in heavy to intense rain in northern Philippines, the agency said.
