Tragic memories of Tropical Storm Ondoy (international name “Ketsana”) in 2009 flashed back to some Filipinos as Typhoon Ulysses triggered severe flooding in Metro Manila and other neighboring regions overnight.
“Ulysses,” the 21st tropical cyclone that has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility this year, induced heavy rains and triggered flash floods especially across the National Capital Region on Wednesday evening to Thursday morning.
Reports note that the typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometer per hour and gusts of up to 255 kph. It made landfall three times starting on Wednesday evening in Quezon Province, south of the capital Manila.
Its strong rains and howling winds left Filipinos in the metro, as well as in neighboring regions such as CALABARZON and Central Luzon, at the mercy of the tropical cyclone that maintained its “typhoon” status even after crossing Sierra Madre’s mountain ranges.
Ulysses’ threat also prompted state weather bureau PAGASA to warn Filipinos of possible flooding Thursday morning following the expected rise of water levels in major dams as an effect of the heavy rainfall.
Because of the heavy downpour, Marikina River‘s water level breached its 21.5 meters record during “Ondoy,” considered the second most-devastating tropical cyclone in the Pacific in 2009.
The river’s water level is at 21.8 meters with third alarm raised, as of 9:04 a.m. Thursday.
It rose to 22.0 meters at 11 a.m, but decreased to 21.9 meters by 11:38 a.m.
As of 12:08 p.m., its level was recorded to be 21.8 meters deep, based on Marikina’s Public Information Office page.
The heavy downpour of Ulysses also triggered memories of “Ondoy” as Filipinos shared pictures and videos of flooded areas.
Ondoy survivors recalled how they have seen similar views as the tropical storm battered Metro Manila and its neighboring regions 11 years ago. They likewise shared how they weathered through that storm.