Battered by Cyclone, Philippines Suffers Flooding, Landslides

Battered by Cyclone, Philippines Suffers Flooding, Landslides
Residents wade and ride on pedicabs along a partially flooded road, in Las Pinas Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)
Reuters
9/12/2017
Updated:
9/12/2017

MANILA—A cyclone dumped heavy rains in the Philippine capital, Manila, and nearby provinces on Tuesday, causing widespread flooding and landslides in some areas that killed at least two people, the national disaster agency said.

Financial markets, government offices and schools were closed and port operations in some provinces were suspended, it said. Several flights were canceled.

The weather bureau said cyclone Maring, which was packing winds of up to 37 mph, made landfall in the morning over Mauban municipality in the eastern province of Quezon.

Romina Marasigan, a spokeswoman for the national disaster agency, said two teenaged brothers died from a landslide in Taytay, Rizal, 20 kilometers (12.43 miles) from Manila.

“Some residents unfortunately did not heed the advice of local officials to evacuate to safer grounds,” she said in a media briefing.

Residents use a makeshift boat to ferry commuters along floodwaters in Quezon City, Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Dondi Tawatao)
Residents use a makeshift boat to ferry commuters along floodwaters in Quezon City, Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Dondi Tawatao)

Marasigan warned of more flashfloods and landslides as rains were expected to continue later in the day, before the cyclone moves back over the sea early on Wednesday.

Twenty-two passengers were rescued from a bus stuck in floodwaters in Pitogo town in Quezon, she said.

Residents make their way through floodwaters in Las Pinas, Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)
Residents make their way through floodwaters in Las Pinas, Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)

Local officials ordered the evacuation of residents in some towns under floodwaters in Quezon, Laguna, Rizal and Batangas provinces, she said.

Residents wade in floodwaters in Quezon City, Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017.<br/>(Reuters/Dondi Tawatao)
Residents wade in floodwaters in Quezon City, Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017.
(Reuters/Dondi Tawatao)

The weather bureau said it was also keeping an eye on typhoon Talim which was packing winds of up to 120 kph (75 mph), spotted moving toward the country’s northern tip and to Taiwan.

Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz and Dondi Tawatao
A resident wades in floodwaters in Bacoor, Cavite as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)
A resident wades in floodwaters in Bacoor, Cavite as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)
Residents wade and ride on pedicabs along a partially flooded road, in Las Pinas Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)
Residents wade and ride on pedicabs along a partially flooded road, in Las Pinas Metro Manila as a storm sweeps across the main Luzon island, Philippines, September 12, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro)