Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — With La Mesa Dam just centimeters away from its spilling level, some residents living beside the Tullahan River are already heading to evacuation centers.
As of 4:00 p.m on Friday (July 10), the dam is at 79.94 meters — a mere 21 centimeters from its spilling level of 80.15 meters. Once it overflows, water then spills over the Tullahan River, where the threat of flooding affects residents living nearby.
The back-to-back entry of Tropical Storm Egay (international name: Linfa) followed by Typhoon Falcon (international name: Chan-hom) enhanced the southwest monsoon, which brought heavy rainfall over Luzon.
Related: Monsoon rains to continue over Metro Manila, other parts of Luzon
Last Wednesday (July 8), La Mesa Dam was placed under red alert with its water level reaching 79.74 in the evening. The dam’s plant manager, Engr. Teddy Angeles, advised preemptive evacuation for communities close to Tullahan River.
Related: La Mesa Dam remains on red alert, preemptive evacuation still advised
But some residents have not evacuated yet. According to Quezon City Councilor Jonel Quebal, most residents in the area have been living there for 20 years and usually wait for flood waters to rise up to a foot from the ground before they leave.
In Quezon City alone, at least nine barangays could be affected by the possible flooding: Greater Fairview, Greater Lagro, Sto. Monica, North Fairview, Nagkaisang Nayon, Nova Proper, San Bartolome, Gulod, and Sta. Lucia.
The Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) has already alerted residents in barangays Payatas, Bayanihan, and Batasan Hills to evacuate as landslides are likely to occur. But the city has not carried out evacuations yet.
A similar scene was reported in Valenzuela City where some residents refused to evacuate even with forced evacuation ordered since Thursday (July 9).
Mark Anthony Belmonte, a resident living near Tullahan River in Valenzuela City, said that he and his family would only evacuate if the water spills over the concrete barrier separating their house from the river.
‘ ’11’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘100%’ ’embedCode’: ‘
Some informal settlers along Tullahan River choose to wait until they see the larger floods | @Rexremitio pic.twitter.com/GNavbLtPA5
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) July 9, 2015
Another resident, Ricardo Caraveo, argued that he is already used to the scenario.
‘ ’13’: ‘contentWidth’: ‘100%’ ’embedCode’: ‘
Ricardo Caraveo lives beside Tullahan River. "Nakasanayan na ho eh dahil walang matirhan," he said @cnnphilippines pic.twitter.com/W1PaF8ntP8
— Rex Remitio (@Rexremitio) July 9, 2015
Others chose to remain in fear that their house might get looted if they evacuate.
“Kapag mataas na mataas na. Sa ngayon po kasi hanggang dyan pa lang po e kasi kung iiwanan bahay namin, maraming mawawalang gamit,” resident Jocelyn Lopez said.
Barangays in Valenzuela City that could be affected by the possible flooding of the river include Gen. T. De Leon, Ugong, Marulas, Mapulang Lupa, Karuhatan, Paso de Blas, Parada, and Maysan. This translates to around 50,000 households.
As of 2:00 p.m., over 506 families are staying in 12 evacuation centers in Valenzuela City. But families living near the river may reach up to 1,500, according to Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian.
Other cities that could be affected by the possible flooding of the river are Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela. If a flash flood occurs, parts of Caloocan City may also be affected, the Hydrometeorology Division of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) told CNN Philippines on Friday.
‘ ’19’:
The La Mesa Dam plant manager said a recommendation for affected cities to implement forced evacuations was released at 2:00 a.m. on Friday.
“Basically, we’ve been talking to the action centers of these LGUs (local government units) and it’s their duty to enforce the forced evacuation advisory that we gave out,” he said.
“Maybe because it’s a case to case basis on barangay level where some are really low and some are not so low, that’s why the reason may be the residents do not want to move. But as a general advisory from our end, we would want people to basically, be forced to evacuate.”
