Many parts of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and Metro Manila were pounded by super-strong rains since yesterday afternoon- at around 4 to 5 pm. The rains become stronger in the evening and continued until noon today. It was raining cats and dogs all over Metro Manila last night. The rains have become weaker this afternoon in Metro Manila and Sothern Luzon. Though no fully-developed typhoon has been sighted by the weather bureau here in the Philippines, PAGASA’s “rainfall data” recorded 222.6 mm of rainfall in the last 15 hours at Science Garden, Quezon City. PAGASA is the weather-forecasting bureau here in the Philippines and its acronym means Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration. It has warned residents from low-lying areas all over Luzon to immediately evacuate to “temporary refuge centers.” The warning was made last night. Government agencies came well-prepared this time around and went to rescue people living in low-lying areas as fast as they can since last night. Hence, many lives were saved today due to the well-preparedness of government agencies during this rainy season. The months of August and September are considered as the “rainy months” in Philippine calendar. Yesterday was August 6, 2012.

I went to my parents’ home this afternoon to check them. My parents are both okay since they live in a two-storey house with good structures that can protect their home from flooding. I took photos of the streets in that area after the heavy rains that battered Luzon and Metro Manila yesterday had stopped this afternoon. The flooding in San Pedro, Laguna has now subsided just this afternoon. Classes in all levels in the whole Metro Manila area as well as in many parts of Central and Southern Luzon have been suspended due to heavy rains last night. Work in government offices all over Metro Manila and Laguna was likewise suspended. Many private offices in Laguna Province were also closed due to the floods in Luzon and Metro Manila. Evacuation centers were established all over Luzon and Metro Manila. I think the “evacuees” will be needing a lot of help from various humanitarian groups because some areas in Central and Southern Luzon have really “big floods “ that may take some time to fully-subside. Many residents from Metro Manila are praying hard that the week-long rains would somehow stop tomorrow, so that flooding would be halted all over Luzon.