Philippines: Rainstorms flood half of Manila

Heavy rains caused by the Trami tropical storm flooded the Philippines' Manila capital in just 24 hours, causing landslides and killing at least seven people and affecting the lives of over 600,000 in Manila as well as neighborhoods in the southwest of this country. In addition, there are 4 cases of missing notice and 11 people injured due to flood.

At least 40,000 people have to seek shelter in government evacuation centers in the main island of Luzon, while more than 80,000 people have to move to temporary homes of relatives or friends from government agencies in the capital and Schools in Manila and 12 northern provinces closed on August 19.

The stock market also stopped trading, most banks and private companies were closed and dozens of flights had to be canceled when the average monthly rainfall poured into the capital in a single day.

Philippines President Benigno Aquino III on August 20 canceled all day work schedules to continue monitoring the flood situation.

Due to heavy rain, airlines had to cancel about 60 flights to and from the international airport in Manila, of which Philippine Airlines canceled 21 international flights and 12 domestic flights.

Cebu Pacific Air, the second largest airline in the Philippines, also had to cancel 15 domestic flights. About 100 passengers were stranded at some ports in the North.

The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development said it has advanced more than 120 million pesos ($ 2.76 million) for emergency relief.

Meanwhile, nearly 60% of Manila's subway system has been flooded by storms.

On the morning of August 20, the Philippine Weather Bureau maintained a warning that Manila's "red" precipitation, the highest warning level, stressed that severe flooding and heavy rain would continue to occur in the city and neighboring provinces.

The bureau said the southwest monsoon season, lasting from June to September, was reinforced by Typhoon Trami and a tropical depression in the northeastern province of Batanes.

Tropical cyclone Trami, with a maximum wind speed near the storm center is 9km / hour (kph) and gale to 120kph, is expected to move to North Taiwan (China) in the next one or two days.

According to the Bureau of Weather, the rainy season in the Philippines has become fierce in recent years, with the lethal rain last August that sank Manila and its surrounding areas, killing more than 50 people. people and forced about 270,000 others to evacuate to safer shelters.