The water level in the Marikina River continued to rise this Wednesday morning due to overnight rain.
It was raised on the first alarm past 11 pm when the water reached 15 meters. It climbed 15.3 meters at 1 a.m. but dropped 15.2 meters past 2 p.m.
But due to the continuous heavy rains, it has climbed to 15.5 meters now.
The river in the adjacent park has overflowed, and many people and bikers can no longer go straight on the road because the park is already covered by the river.
When the water level reaches 16 meters, the second alarm will sound and signal for preemptive evacuation in the low-lying areas of Barangay Malanday and Tumana.
Some schools are also ready for evacuation.
So far, no widespread flooding has been reported in Marikina city.
Marikina River used to be an important transport route during the Spanish colonial era. Still, its importance as a transport route diminished when the Philippines’ national highway system became more established.
The resulting lack of riverboat traffic and the deforestation of the upland areas in the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape contributed to the river’s siltation, further reducing its value as a transport route.
Due to negligence and industrial development, the river has become very polluted, an act which recent Marikina administrations have attempted to address.
Southwest monsoon brings heavy rains in Sablayan town in Occ Mindoro
Meanwhile, overnight rains fell in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, one of the worst affected by the southwest monsoon that caused flooding and landslides in the area.
According to Mayor Andy Dangeros, they will need to declare a state of calamity to meet the needs of residents affected by the disaster.
Up to 900 families were affected in the said town. Most of the complainants were farmers because their paddy fields and cornfields were submerged in thick mud.
They now need the seeds so farmers can start again.
It is estimated that P706 million was damaged to agriculture while P47 million to infrastructure due to the number of damaged roads, bridges, and irrigation canals.
In Oriental Mindoro, the amount of damage to agriculture and infrastructure has reached P350 million.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.