Continuous rain from tropical depressions Mirasol and Nando submerged the town of Licab, Nueva Ecija, in floodwaters on the morning of 18 September 2025.

According to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), flooding began at around 5 a.m. after the Labong River in Barangay Villarosa reached red level. The overflowing river inundated nearby barangays including Aquino, San Juan, Villarosa, Poblacion Norte, and San Cristobal.

By 8:30 AM, the Licab-Victoria Road was impassable to light vehicles. Motorists were advised to take alternative routes and exercise caution.

Former Licab mayor Femy Domingo previously noted that the town has long been vulnerable to flooding, serving as a catch basin for nearby municipalities.

Residents also pointed out that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had completed the fifth phase of a flood control project along the Labong River in April 2023. The P96.5-million, 514-lineal-meter flood mitigation structure in Barangay Villarosa was intended to protect farmlands and residential areas from recurring floods.

However, the DPWH has said that parts of Licab remain highly susceptible to inundation because of its geographic position as a catch basin. An engineering survey from the DPWH Nueva Ecija First District Engineering Office showed that water levels from the Labong River can rise up to 5.5 meters during heavy rains, affecting nearby communities.

The Villarosa Flood Control Structure is part of a multi-year program to build bank protection walls along the Labong River. Since 2016, around P416 million has been allocated for 3.33 kilometers of protective structures.