Storm lashes Philippine capital
PHILIPPINE: vernight storms brought havoc to the Philippine
capital on Friday, causing widespread flooding and forcing schools,
offices and the country’s stock exchange to close, officials said.
Heavy overnight rains forced all government offices to close and the
suspension of elementary and high school classes in the capital and
surrounding districts.
The Philippine Stock Exchange suspended operations mid-morning “due
to lack of clearing facilities,” as the central bank had curtailed its
activities because of the weather.
The government urged private businesses to also close for the day.
Manila pedestrians were seen wading to work knee-deep in dirty brown
water.
“Floods in metropolitan Manila can rise swiftly but can also subside
quickly so it is hard to say how long these floods will last,” said
Relan Asuncion, head of a team monitoring the storm’s effects.
The tropical storm off the north of Luzon island was reported to be
packing maximum winds of 85 kilometres (53 miles) per hour at its
centre, with gusts of 100 kilometres.
It was expected to have hit the northern tip of the northern province
of Cagayan by midday (0400 GMT) Friday, the weather bureau said.
It was moving northwest at 15 kilometres per hour and was expected to
move out to the South China Sea by Saturday.
Residents in low-lying areas were warned to be on alert for flash
floods and landslides, the civil defence office said.
Most of the northern Philippines was on the second level of the
country’s three-stage storm alert system, while provinces just north of
Manila were on the lowest warning level. Manila, Friday, AFP |