Over 3,000 families in Marikina City have been evacuated to designated camps as of Saturday (July 24) after the second alarm was raised when Marikina River’s water level reached 16 meters, according to the Marikina Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO).
Marikina DRRMO said that as of 11 a.m., July 24, a total of 3,131 families or a total of 13,484 individuals have been evacuated.
The city government has designated schools as evacuation camps for residents affected by floods.
The river reached 16 meters at 1:40 a.m. on Saturday (July 24). This means people dwelling in low-lying areas must leave their homes and evacuate.
At 12:07 a.m., the first alarm was raised after the Marikina River’s water level hit 15 meters.
Sirens rang to alert residents that the water level of the river has already reached 15 meters, signaling them to prepare for evacuation.
Once it reaches 18 meters, the third alarm will be raised, and forced evacuation will be done to ensure the safety of residents.
Before it reached the first alarm, the city government of Marikina conducted preemptive evacuation due to continuous heavy rains and the rise of the river’s water level.
Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro has been spotted at evacuation sites, checking the conditions of his constituents.
As of writing, the city government has activated 28 evacuation camps all over Marikina.