Not prepared’: Filipinos recall deadly 2009 typhoon as floods paralyse Manila

Rescuers helping people on a boat as they wade through a flooded road following heavy rain in Marikina City, Metro Manila on July 24. - Reuters

MANILA: Days of relentless rain have brought Philippine capital Manila and its surrounding cities to a standstill, as floods triggered by Typhoon Gaemi (local name Carina) and the seasonal monsoon caught tens of thousands of Filipinos by surprise.

Affected residents interviewed by The Straits Times on July 24 said the non-stop downpour and widespread flooding brought back grim memories of the deadly, powerful Typhoon Ketsana (local name Ondoy) that killed more than 400 people in 2009. At that time, Metro Manila – compromising 16 cities and one town – and 23 provinces were placed under a state of calamity.