Kristine brings floods to Metro Manila, thousands stranded

Severe Tropical Storm Kristine brought heavy rains to Metro Manila on Friday, October 25, causing flooding but conditions improved by early morning.

Floodwaters reached gutter-deep to knee-deep levels in several areas like McArthur Highway in Valenzuela City and parts of España Boulevard and Taft Avenue in Manila, forcing vehicles to seek higher ground or slow down.

Roxas District in Quezon City turned into a river due to continuous rainfall, leading to the evacuation of residents along Gumamela and Waling-Waling Streets; however, floodwaters had subsided by 6 am in most parts of Metro Manila.

Despite the initial flooding, some residents chose to stay at home, citing previous experience with lower water levels. In Parañaque, dozens were stranded at a mall until 3 am due to limited transport options and broken-down cars causing traffic.

At the Manila North Port Terminal, around 200 passengers were stranded as vessels halted operations due to bad weather; food and water were provided by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and shipping lines. Nationwide, over 7,000 passengers across various ports like Batangas, Bicol, and Zamboanga del Norte remained stranded.

Members of the Philippine Air Force rescued stranded individuals in Parañaque, providing rescue boats and trucks to help people return home safely.