MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila was battered by intense southwest monsoon rains that rapidly flooded roads, neighborhoods and major thoroughfares, disrupting traffic, displacing residents and forcing authorities to suspend classes and adjust government work as the weather threat continued into Tuesday.
The flooding followed an extraordinary burst of rainfall on Monday, August 17, when 201.7 millimeters of rain was recorded in Metro Manila in roughly five to six hours amid the prevailing Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat. Multiple reports described the rainfall as approaching the intensity associated with the infamous 2009 Tropical Storm Ondoy disaster.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said the volume of rain dumped over the capital was unusually high, helping overwhelm drainage systems and quickly inundate roads across the region. The Philippine Star reported that the rainfall was recorded from around 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while GMA News noted that the five-hour total was equivalent to about 44% of the rainfall Metro Manila received during Ondoy’s 24-hour deluge in 2009.
Floodwaters paralyze parts of the capital
Flooding was reported across numerous areas of Metro Manila, with some roads becoming impassable and traffic grinding to a standstill.
Reports documented flooding in portions of Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Pasig and other parts of the metropolitan area, while nearby communities in Rizal and other provinces also experienced serious flooding. Reuters images showed residents being evacuated from flooded residential areas in Cainta, Rizal.
In Quezon City, authorities recorded more than 200 millimeters of rainfall at the Science Garden during the intense period of rain. Floodwaters also affected major transportation routes, including areas around Katipunan, where flooding contributed to severe traffic congestion.
The flooding was not limited to Monday.
As of Tuesday, August 18, several roads across Metro Manila remained flooded, prompting local governments and the Office of Civil Defense to issue updates on affected areas.
Thousands forced from their homes
The flooding also triggered evacuations.
In Manila City alone, more than 3,600 residents remained in evacuation centers as of Tuesday following the heavy Habagat rains, according to the Manila Public Information Office as reported by DZRH.
The scale of the flooding prompted authorities to take precautionary measures, including the suspension of face-to-face classes and changes to government work arrangements in Metro Manila and other affected areas.
PAGASA warns the threat is not over
The biggest concern now is that the rain has not completely let up.
PAGASA’s August 18 advisories show that the Southwest Monsoon remains the dominant weather system, with heavy-rain warnings issued for areas in and around Metro Manila. A PAGASA heavy rainfall warning issued Tuesday morning warned of flooding hazards associated with continued monsoon rainfall.
PAGASA’s broader Southwest Monsoon advisory also warned that widespread severe flooding and landslides could occur in areas receiving intense rainfall, with accumulated rain potentially worsening conditions where significant rainfall had already fallen.
The agency’s flood monitoring system also placed the NCR/Pasig-Marikina-Laguna de Bay basin under Flood Watch, underscoring the continuing risk to flood-prone communities.
Why the flooding became so severe
The sheer intensity of the rainfall is a major factor.
When more than 200 millimeters of rain falls within only a few hours, urban drainage networks can struggle to carry the enormous volume of water away quickly. The situation can become even more difficult when waterways are already swollen, drainage systems are clogged or overwhelmed, and water levels are elevated.
PAGASA has previously noted that accumulated rainfall, drainage conditions and elevated tide levels can contribute to persistent road flooding even after rainfall begins to ease.
The latest flooding therefore illustrates a critical reality for Metro Manila: the danger does not necessarily end when the rain stops. Water can remain trapped in low-lying communities and roads while rivers, drainage channels and surrounding waterways continue to carry runoff.
Metro Manila watches the skies
The latest flooding has revived comparisons with Ondoy, one of the most devastating flooding disasters in Metro Manila’s history.
But authorities and weather officials have emphasized the present event is being driven by the Southwest Monsoon, rather than a direct landfalling tropical cyclone over Metro Manila. PAGASA continues to monitor the monsoon and other weather disturbances that could influence rainfall across Luzon.
For residents in flood-prone communities, the immediate concern is straightforward: another round of intense rainfall could quickly worsen already saturated conditions.
With heavy-rain warnings continuing and waterways under watch, Metro Manila remains on alert.
And after Monday’s extraordinary rainfall, the question now is not whether the capital can handle another downpour—but how much more rain the region can absorb before flooding becomes even more widespread.
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