The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest power distributor, is racing to restore electricity to more than 167,000 customers as floods and heavy rains from the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclone “Crising” triggered widespread power outages across Luzon.

As of Tuesday morning, the company said the majority of affected customers were in Metro Manila with 101,676 outages, followed by 43,180 in Bulacan and 16,015 in Cavite.

Power interruptions also hit parts of Rizal, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon. Nearly 98 percent of the affected accounts are in flooded areas, slowing down restoration efforts.

Heavy floods

“We ask our customers for patience and understanding as heavy floods have triggered disruptions in power services,” Meralco vice president and head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said.

“Rest assured that the safety of our customers and line crews is our top priority, and we will immediately restore power in the affected areas once the floodwaters recede and it is safe to do so,” he added.

Meralco said it continues to closely monitor weather conditions and has deployed crews to areas that are safe and accessible.

Safety advisories

The utility also issued safety advisories, urging residents in flooded communities to switch off main circuit breakers, unplug appliances and have all electrical systems inspected by a licensed electrician before restoring power to avoid accidents or further damage.