Flooding in Manila Displaces Thousands, Two Missing Amid Ongoing Rains

Torrential rains caused a record flood in the Philippine capital, Manila, and surrounding provinces, displacing tens of thousands of individuals and at least two other individuals missing. The rainfall that began late Monday night overflowed the Marikina River, inundating low-lying areas, and suspended normal activities on Tuesday.

Schools and government facilities within the inundation zone were closed because rescue officials were confronted by swelling water levels and more displacement. Over 23,000 families of Marikina Riverbanks dwellers were displaced, with the majority taking temporary refuge in public courtyards, community centers, and schools, officials further added. Other parts of Metro Manila, such as Quezon City, Pasig, and Caloocan, have a total of about 44,000 individuals displaced from home after waters were poised to overflow at critical levels.

The Marikina rescue agency reports the river overflowed to 18 metres, beyond safety levels, and was a ghoulish threat to creek dwellers and tributary residents. So-called dwellerers are particularly exposed because they live in close proximity to water courses that overflow directly during rains.

A woman driver and an elderly were missing in another accident when a flash flood carried away their vehicle in Caloocan. The vehicle was recovered late Monday night by the rescue authorities but the victims were still missing. Authorities also revealed that a car window was broken, expectations rising they were able to escape on foot from the vehicle when it sank. Search operations continue.

Flooding started to recede on Tuesday afternoon, but rain-drenched streets and homes that were destroyed still stood to keep the majority of the stricken area's residents from going back home. Emergency shelters are still full of evacuees waiting for the tide to recede.

The tragedy is just one of a string of weather spell that is pummeling the nation. Tropical Storm Wipha made monsoon rain this week deadlier and brought tragedy in central and southern provinces of the Philippines. Six people were killed with six others missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The national weather bureau predicted rain at the weekend, and that could lead to further displacement as well as further flooding. The country is hit by 20 typhoons or tropical storms each year, and most of them cause huge devastation, particularly on the vulnerable who have very little infrastructure and poor drainage.

Officials attribute the growing severity of storms due to global climate change, as it is purportedly being powered by and destabilized by warm ocean currents. The latter ones get intensified and more frequent, as they pose a load on disaster preparedness centers as well as emergency rescue units.

Metro Manila relief operations are in waiting by local governments along rivers and even extending to victimized communities. Relief operations are already underway in de-clogging roads, restoring basic utilities, and giving food, medicines and temporary shelters to victimized families of the floods. It is an ever-changing state because there is the possibility of risk of further rain that may bring more rivers overflows, especially in low-lying and coastal communities.

The intermittent impacts of typhoons only highlight the need for continuous improvement in climate-resilience planning and infrastructure, particularly in heavily urbanized areas such as Manila. Enhancing early warning systems and evacuation procedures must be achieved in a bid to mitigate impacts from future weather occurrences.

The Philippine government requested the local authorities to keep emergency regulations and shelters operational for extended stayovers in the event of continued rains. Rescues will remain in operation in threatened areas while closely monitoring weather updates and river levels.

Displacement and property loss are indicators of exposure of residents in flood-risk low-lying regions and slums. But as storms become more intense and frequent, tighter cooperation among humanitarian organizations, government, and local authorities will be required in averting both the humanitarian and economic effects of such disasters.

Source and Credit:
AFP from original reporting edited by Andrew Zinin. © 2025 AFP