Camille Naredo

Sudden flooding in Katipunan on Saturday, August 30 after a brief but intense thunderstorm. Trisha Nasam and Karmela Melgarejo, Tinig ng Plaridel

Sudden flooding in Katipunan on Saturday, August 30 after a brief but intense thunderstorm.

Article (news)

KATIPUNAN

Jessie Cruzat

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756636508224083125_katipunan.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Sudden flooding in Katipunan on Saturday, August 30 after a brief but intense thunderstorm. Trisha Nasam and Karmela Melgarejo, Tinig ng Plaridel"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sudden flooding in Katipunan on Saturday, August 30 after a brief but intense thunderstorm. <em>Trisha Nasam and Karmela Melgarejo, Tinig ng Plaridel</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Several areas in Quezon City experienced sudden flooding Saturday afternoon after a brief but intense thunderstorm with rainfall levels comparable to those seen during the peak hour of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009. </p><p>According to PAGASA, the thunderstorm that hit parts of the city between 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM poured 96.6 millimeters of rain, even more than Ondoy&#x27;s peak of 92 millimeters in an hour.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/8/30/thunderstorm-dumps-5-days-of-rain-in-just-an-hour-in-quezon-city-2300">READ: Thunderstorm dumps 5 days of rain in just an hour in Quezon City</a></div><p>Delivery rider Jeffrey Duran was caught off guard by the floodwaters during his trip. </p><p>“Ang baha kahapon, saglit lang ‘yong ulan biglang tumaas ang tubig. Hindi tulad dati na kahit matagal, matagal nang umapaw. ‘Yong inexpect kung daanan na akala ko walang baha. Bumubulwak,” said Duran, who opted to pause work to avoid damaging his motorcycle. </p><p>The Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) admitted they were also surprised by the sudden downpour. </p><p>“Very local ang weather system na rapidly forming and short duration kaya kung napansin po natin kahapon, very short lang ‘yong span no’ng pagbuhos ng ulan at ‘yon po ‘yong kadahilanan no’ng malawakang pagbaha sa Quezon City,” explained Ma. Bianca Perez, QCDRRMO head. </p><p>PAGASA confirmed that although the thunderstorm was short-lived, it was powerful enough to cause widespread flooding. </p><p>“’Yong thunderstorm event, short lived. Nakikita natin na nag-cause ng baha. Pero after a few hours nag-subside rin naman siya. Although ‘yong kay Ondoy umabot ng 300 mm ‘yong pag ulan. Sa ganoong pagkakataon, ‘yong mga baha is mas matagal na nag-subside siya,” said PAGASA Weather Specialist Veronica Torres. </p><p>As many as 36 barangays in Quezon City were affected by the flooding, but waters receded after a few hours. </p><p>Dr. Alfredo Mahar Lagmay of the UP Resilience Institute pointed to climate change as a likely factor in the growing intensity of such weather events. </p><p>“‘Yon ang mga predictions ng climate scientists 10 or 20 years ago dahil umiinit na ang ating mundo dahil sa pagsunog natin ng fossil fuels, nagbubuga ito ng mga CO2 at saka greenhouse gases, umiinit ‘yong ating mundo,” he said. </p><p>Lagmay shared that the UP Resilience Institute has submitted a Drainage Master Plan to the Quezon City government, which the city is now using as a blueprint for flood mitigation projects. </p><p>One example is a detention basin project, which features a basketball court on the surface and a water catchment facility below.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vXI952u4nSc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span>“Para po siyang imbakan ng tubig sa ilalim ng lupa. Bago pa makarating o mag-overflow ‘yong tubig sa taas ng lupa at pumunta doon sa low lying areas, sasaluhin na no’ng mga imbakan ng tubig,” Perez added.</div><p>Once floodwaters recede, the collected water in these detention basins will be pumped out into rivers or creeks. </p><p>Perez added that they plan to install similar systems in 160 identified areas in the city. </p><p>Lagmay, however, emphasized that infrastructure alone is not enough. </p><p>“Marami pa tayong pwedeng gawin, hindi naman ganon talaga ka-huli. Medyo huli pero baka pwede pa nating gawan ng paraan. Huwag na nating palalain pa. At gawan na natin ng solusyon. Ngayon pa lang maki-pag coordinate sana lahat ng mga mayors, NCR wide or watershed wide... It’s best na well planned. If you keep people and development out of arms way, the floods will come but there will be no disaster.” </p><p>Meanwhile, PAGASA continues to urge the public to stay updated with weather advisories, especially during the rainy season, to avoid risks associated with flash flooding.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kZGWbtAAjss?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Several areas in Quezon City experienced sudden flooding Saturday afternoon after a brief but intense thunderstorm with rainfall levels comparable to those seen during the peak hour of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.</p>

Several areas in Quezon City experienced sudden flooding Saturday afternoon after a brief but intense thunderstorm with rainfall levels comparable to those seen during the peak hour of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.

One-hour downpour dumped more rain on QC than Ondoy’s peak hour— PAGASA

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One-hour downpour dumped more rain on QC than Ondoy’s peak hour— PAGASA

Jessie Cruzat,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 31, 2025 06:36 PM PHT

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Updated August 31, 2025 07:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Flashflood

thunderstorm

Quezon City

flood control projects

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