It was 2pm, September 26, and it all started with an urgent knock on the door of our bedroom.
Without waiting for me to answer, our househelp opened the door and said:
"Kuya, uwi na kami kasi umapaw na ang ilog."
Being abruptly awakened from sleep, I didn't realize the gravity of the situation at first. I looked outside the window and saw flood waters already creeping on the subdivision streets. What I saw was surreal. The river below the dike bordering a part of the subdivision was at least a 25-foot drop from street level!! Since the water is already spilling over on our side, the houses on the other side of the river (where our househelp lives) are already submerged under water!!
We let our two househelps go hoping that their families had evacuated on time (we later found out that their families were safe). I went out to check the situation and the water is already ankle deep on the street. Me and my wife then started bringing things up in our second floor. The test papers of my students were the very first items that i brought up. Food items from the ref went next. Adrenaline allowed me and my wife to bring up our refrigerator.
Phone line was already lost. We contacted our families thru cellphone and they were not being affected by flood. However, I learned that my 6-year old niece was already on top of the roof of their two-storey house in Malanday, Marikina. (No one came to rescue them. Fortunately, the water only reached a few inches before the ceiling). We also learned that Provident Village was already submerged in water.
At 3pm, water already started going inside our garage area. People from the subdivision are already moving out seeking refuge at the second floor of a nearby grocery. It was an exodus. Water on the street level was already waist high. Small children were riding make shift boats from large laundry basins and inflatable swimming pools. The subdivision shuttle service was bringing children to the grocery.
At 330 pm, water already went inside our house. In a matter of minutes, water inside was already waist deep. The water level went up so fast that we decided to go to the grocery. It was a calculated decision since communication even by cellphone was already lost and we have no information as to how high the flood can get.
At 345 pm, we asked the help of the village security guard and some of the teenage volunteers to help us move outside the village. By this time water on street level was already chest high. Our 3.5 year old son and 1.5 year old daughter were apparently unaware of the danger we were facing (luckily i guess). As we crossed the flood filled streets, they wanted to take a swim. hahaha.
The current of the water going outside the subdivision was so strong that my wife almost got off-balanced. Luckily, the volunteers were able to get hold of her and we were able to get up the safety of the grocery's second floor.
Without waiting for me to answer, our househelp opened the door and said:
"Kuya, uwi na kami kasi umapaw na ang ilog."
Being abruptly awakened from sleep, I didn't realize the gravity of the situation at first. I looked outside the window and saw flood waters already creeping on the subdivision streets. What I saw was surreal. The river below the dike bordering a part of the subdivision was at least a 25-foot drop from street level!! Since the water is already spilling over on our side, the houses on the other side of the river (where our househelp lives) are already submerged under water!!
We let our two househelps go hoping that their families had evacuated on time (we later found out that their families were safe). I went out to check the situation and the water is already ankle deep on the street. Me and my wife then started bringing things up in our second floor. The test papers of my students were the very first items that i brought up. Food items from the ref went next. Adrenaline allowed me and my wife to bring up our refrigerator.
Phone line was already lost. We contacted our families thru cellphone and they were not being affected by flood. However, I learned that my 6-year old niece was already on top of the roof of their two-storey house in Malanday, Marikina. (No one came to rescue them. Fortunately, the water only reached a few inches before the ceiling). We also learned that Provident Village was already submerged in water.
At 3pm, water already started going inside our garage area. People from the subdivision are already moving out seeking refuge at the second floor of a nearby grocery. It was an exodus. Water on the street level was already waist high. Small children were riding make shift boats from large laundry basins and inflatable swimming pools. The subdivision shuttle service was bringing children to the grocery.
At 330 pm, water already went inside our house. In a matter of minutes, water inside was already waist deep. The water level went up so fast that we decided to go to the grocery. It was a calculated decision since communication even by cellphone was already lost and we have no information as to how high the flood can get.
At 345 pm, we asked the help of the village security guard and some of the teenage volunteers to help us move outside the village. By this time water on street level was already chest high. Our 3.5 year old son and 1.5 year old daughter were apparently unaware of the danger we were facing (luckily i guess). As we crossed the flood filled streets, they wanted to take a swim. hahaha.
The current of the water going outside the subdivision was so strong that my wife almost got off-balanced. Luckily, the volunteers were able to get hold of her and we were able to get up the safety of the grocery's second floor.
(Still smiling at the evacuation center)After about 30 minutes inside the grocery store, I decided that I need to go back to our house to get the bag that we prepared for evacuation. Thankfully, the water inside the house already went down to knee level. The house was filled with mud though.
We stayed at the grocery until 7pm. Since the flood waters had already receded, we decided that it would be safe to sleep in our second floor. We thank God that the worst is over.
During the night, we were listening to the horrors brought about by the flood. Familiar places like Provident Village, Marikina City Hall, Cainta were all flooded.
It was 2am, September 27, when sleep finally came. At that time, sleep was a much needed friend to prepare for the cleaning that came next.
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