Manila flooded by rains

Manila flooded by rains

MANILA (Reuter): Torrential rains flooded low-lying areas of Manila and triggered mudflow alerts in towns at the foot of the simmering Mount Pinatubo volcano in the northern Philippines, officials said yesterday.

Traffic got snarled in parts of the capital as thousands of commuters waded through knee-deep floodwaters brought on by the onset of the rainy season, which normally runs from mid-May to late October.

The rains were welcomed by farmers whose lands have been parched by a dry spell. The weather bureau has reported that rainfall in many parts of the country had been 50 percent below normal.

Civil defense officials maintained their alert yesterday for steaming mudflows which may roll down Pinatubo because of the heavy rains and warned people they may have to flee at a moment's notice.