Floods paralyse Manila
International Desk
banglanews24.com
DHAKA: At least eight people have been reported dead as torrential rain caused flooding that paralysed most parts of the Philippine capital, Manila.
The flooding, neck-deep in some areas, forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, closing schools, offices and the stock exchange, says the BBC.
Eight members of one family died after a landslide hit shanty houses in Quezon City, reports said.
More than 50 people died when Typhoon Saola struck more than a week ago.
Widespread flooding has been reported in the capital and the surrounding provinces, according to a statement from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
It said ‘the south-west monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm ‘Haikui’ located 300km north-east of Taiwan’ was expected to bring more rain.
‘Expect landslides and flashfloods in mountainous areas and floods in low-lying areas.’
President Benigno Aquino met civil defence officials to discuss the situation.
‘Everybody who is supposed to do something is doing what he is supposed to do,’ he said.
The severity of the rain since Monday afternoon, in an already saturated city, has led officials to issue the highest level of alert.
BDST: 1631 HRS, AUG 7, 2012
Edited by Robab Rosan, Cultural Affairs Editor