Forced evacuation as Marikina River reaches 3rd alarm

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MANILA, Philippines – Due to heavy rains, the water level of the Marikina River reached 3rd alarm on Saturday, August 11, prompting forced evacuation for residents. 

As heavy rains poured in Metro Manila, Rizal, and other parts of Luzon due to the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, the Marikina River’s water level exceeded 18 meters shortly before 5 pm Saturday.

In a Facebook post, the Marikina Public Information Office said the water level had already reached 20.6 meters as of 9:58 pm.

Then at 10:30 pm, the water level went down to 20.4 meters, though still at 3rd alarm.

It further went down to 20.3 meters at 11:52 pm, then as of 12:45 am on Sunday, August 12, was still at that level.

The city follows a 3-stage alarm level system for the Marikina River:

• 1st alarm (prepare) – water 15 meters above sea level
• 2nd alarm (evacuate) – water 16 meters above sea level
• 3rd alarm (forced evacuation) – water 18 meters above sea level

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said Tropical Storm Karding (Yagi) will continue enhancing the southwest monsoon even if it already left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). A tropical depression outside PAR is also enhancing the southwest monsoon.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said in a CNN Philippines report that 800 families or 5,000 individuals have already left their homes as of 6 pm Saturday. 

In a separate interview with DZMM, Teodoro advised Marikina residents to stay safe, as he observed that Saturday’s heavy rainfall was “similar” to the amount of rainfall during Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009.

Teodoro also asked the public for assistance and relief goods for Marikina residents in evacuation centers. – Michael Bueza/Rappler.com