Floods in Northern Philippines

Photo source
More than a month's worth of rain fell in just 12 hours Saturday Sept. 26, 2009 as Tropical Storm Ketsana (locally known as Ondoy) slammed ashore in Manila, Philippines killing at least 40 people and stranding thousands on rooftops in the capital's worst flooding in more than 42 years. Commuters wade through waist-deep floodwaters.

Stranded residents called radio and television stations for help including popular actress Cristine Reyes who was tearfully appealed on ABS-CBN television from the roof of her two-story home, saying she and her mother and two young children had been waiting there for rescue for over six hours.

"If the rains do not stop, the water will reach the roof. We do not know what to do. My mother doesn't know how to swim," she said.

Manila airport runway also been flooded, that caused delaying international flights for hours and some electrical outages. Also nearly 2,000 passengers were stranded in ports.

The government declared a "state of calamity" in metropolitan Manila and 25 storm-hit provinces, said Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who heads the National Disaster Coordinating Council. That allows officials to withdraw emergency money for relief and rescue.
Read More = http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_philippines_flooding;_ylt=Ati.K9sMwSDP2pHwqoTgDMDlWMcF

We all know that there are more than 20 typhoons pass the Philippines every year and around this month is the time of non stop rains and storm. And this is perhaps one of them that caused a lot of damages in the country. I feel bad with those people who are affected with this calamity. Hope the government will do something with the drainage and creeks to at least minimize floods in the future.