The Marikina River reached third alarm on Monday night, July 21, after its water level rose to 18 meters due to heavy rainfall brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat).
Screengrab from Marikina City Rescue 161
The Marikina City Rescue 161, the city's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), said the river's water level reached 18 meters at 10:08 p.m. Under the third alarm, forced evacuation protocols are mandated in all affected areas.
The southwest monsoon steadily caused the river's water level to rise, prompting the first alarm at 12:25 p.m. when it reached 15 meters, followed by the second alarm at 2:20 p.m. after reaching 16 meters.
On Monday afternoon, Marikina Mayor Maan Teodoro conducted an on-site inspection and discovered that flooding in some areas was worsened by clogged drainage systems, much of which contained waste coming from nearby cities. Declogging operations have since been launched.
Thirty-six evacuation centers are currently open in the city to accommodate families who may need to evacuate due to rising water levels or possible flooding in their areas.
Related story: https://mb.com.ph/2025/07/21/pasig-marikina-open-evacuation-centers-amid-heavy-rains-flood-threat
As of 8 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised the red rainfall warning over Metro Manila. This may lead to a continued rise in water levels, especially in flood-prone areas.
For emergencies, Marikeños may contact the Marikina Rescue 161 hotline:
Landline:
8-646-2436 to 38
8-646-0427
7-273-6563
Mobile Numbers:
0917-584-2168 (Globe)
0917-804-6352 (Globe)
0928-559-3341 (Smart)
0998-997-0115 (Smart)