Floods submerge half of Philippines capital

Torrential rains flooded half of the Philippines capital, Manila, and triggered a landslide that killed nine people on Tuesday. Nearly 130,000 people were displaced and forced to stay in evacuation centres or take shelter with relatives and friends

Reuters/Stringer

The non-stop heavy rains have turned Manila into a water world, with many areas in the sprawling metropolis under muddy floodwaters, with depths of 20 feet (six metres) in some areas.

Government offices, courts, private establishments and schools were all shut down, while the stock exchange suspended trading.

Major roads were closed to traffic due to the floods, while hundreds of cars were stuck in streets overnight across Manila, which was still recovering from a typhoon last week. 

In a village in Metro Manila, a landslide buried at least three houses, killing nine people and injuring four, the Office of Civil Defence said.

The deluge, the worst since 2009 when hundreds died in rampaging flash floods, was set off by the seasonal monsoon that overflowed major dams and rivers in Manila and surrounding provinces.

The weather bureau said the monsoon rains that have been pounding Manila and nearby provinces since late Sunday would persist for a couple more days and urged residents in risky areas to evacuate.

RFI/Anthony Terrade