Tens of Thousands Displaced as Torrential Rains Trigger Severe Flooding Across the Philippines

Relentless monsoon rains intensified by Typhoon Wipha have brought Metro Manila to a halt, displacing tens of thousands and flooding hundreds of areas across the Philippine capital and surrounding provinces.

The storm system, which has lashed the country since last week, has killed at least six people, displaced over 82,000 residents, and affected more than 1.2 million nationwide.

Government offices and schools in Manila have been suspended through Wednesday, as floodwaters engulfed nearly 500 locations in the capital region alone. “The flooding varies in depth — from gutter-level to much deeper waters,” said Don Artes, chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), at a press briefing.

Officials say the city’s aging infrastructure is worsening the crisis. “Our drainage system is outdated — more than 50 years old — and too small to handle the volume of today’s rainfall,” Artes admitted.

Approximately 17,000 people remain in evacuation centers as the government shifts focus to full-scale disaster relief. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has placed key state agencies on high alert. “The OCD (Office of Civil Defense) is now on red alert,” said OCD Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro IV. “The most heavily affected areas are Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, and Rizal.”

With more rain forecast in the coming days, authorities are warning of potentially severe and prolonged flooding. The southwest monsoon is expected to dump up to 200mm of rain, prompting preemptive evacuations in flood-prone regions