Marikina City was placed yesterday under a state of calamity, along with Balanga and Dinalupihan in Bataan, on account of flood waters reaching chest to head levels in the said areas.

Rains brought about by Typhoon Josie and the southwest monsoon flooded many other areas in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said the declaration was intended to facilitate relief assistance to flood-hit residents.

He said that with the rains going non-stop for a week now, many Marikina residents were unable to leave their houses because of the floods.

Pre-emptive evacuations of residents in flood-prone areas were undertaken as water level in the Marikina River rose constantly with the intermittent heavy rains.

The mayor announced classes at all levels in private and public schools are suspended for Monday, 23 July 2018 due to threats of floods.

Forced evacuations were implemented in many barangays in the two Bataan towns, even as rescuers plucked people trapped by rushing water from the rooftops of their houses.

Residents sought shelter at the Bataan National High School and the Bataan People Center.

Jose Maria Garcia, information center manager of PIA-Bataan, said rescue operations were ongoing in the province as of press time.

Pre-emptive evacuations were also undertaken in Mariveles, Pilar and Morong even when the rainfall warning was still orange.

Garcia said 178 individuals from 42 families were evacuated to the Municipal Evacuation Center in Pilar.

In Morong, 16 families from Barangay Sabang, 22 families from Barangay Poblacion and 18 families from Barangay Mabayo were evacuated to the Morong Evacuation Center, he added.w

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