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.