46 confirmed dead in floods caused by storm ‘Ondoy’

At least 46 people, including 40 in the province of Rizal, were confirmed dead due to floods caused by tropical storm “Ondoy,” officials said on Saturday.

Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III said the fatalities were from the towns of Tanay, Rodriguez (formerly Montalban) and Angono.

I was shocked hearing this news while hearing them during the storm day on our portable radio.

Good thing I didn’t chose Montalban and decided to settle here in Cavite which is much higher grounds. I once visited Montalban for low-cost housing opportunity, I went and check a lot of places like Marikina, Montalban, Rizal, Antipolo, Bulacan and Cavite. Cavite is just 2-3 hours away to the Metro, but heed away when it’s raining because traffic gets really nasty and naughty.

Mainly, in Marikina while hearing the news on the radio was already terrible yesterday. People are on top of their roofs. Some already evacuated in School Zones, and again the goverment was late to realized that Luzon is in the “state of calamity”.

Teodoro said the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), with the help of police, military and local provincial units, is using all its rescue resources to assist affected people in the affected areas of the storm.

The defense chief also advised residents of Metro Manila to keep out of the streets for more efficient rescue operations.

“We ask our countrymen not to clog the streets and thoroughfares at this time… It does pose a clear and present danger to efficient rescue operations,” he said, adding that stranded residents should instead take the Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit to get home.

Teodoro also asked people still stuck on their rooftops for patience and assured them that help will arrive at the soonest possible time.

“I understand the urgency of the situation and we are trying our level-best to respond as quickly as we can,” he said.

Good thing I don’t work in a corporate company anymore, or I could have been in this kind of situation yesterday. Helpless stranded commuters, my motorcycle bike will never pass this heavy flooding… argh!

Good bless to the families that lost their love ones during this calamity.

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/abs/20090926/tph-update-26-luzon-areas-under-state-of-8061bf7.html

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20090926/tph-46-confirmed-dead-in-floods-caused-b-d6cd5cf.html