Monsoon rains swamp Philippine capital, markets shut
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A man crosses deep floodwaters using water containers as floaters in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines, on Aug 7, 2012. Deadly torrential rains submerged much of the Philippine capital and surrounding areas on Tuesday, forcing nearly 270,000 people to flee their homes with more flooding expected in the north of the country as a tropical storm passes through the region, officials said. -- PHOTO: AP
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Residents transport a hog aboard a pedicab along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. Monsoon rains swamped the Philippine capital and nearby provinces forcing the government to close schools, public and private offices and financial markets, as emergency workers rushed to move thousands of people to higher grounds, government disaster officials said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Children play on a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Residents ride on a pedicab along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A man transports vegetables on his motorcycle along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Residents take shelter at an evacuation centre after their shanties were submerged by floodwaters in Baseco, Tondo city, metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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A man fishes out his merchandise from floodwaters, in front of a city hall in Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Rescuers evacuate residents from floodwaters in Marikina City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Resident wait on the roof for rescuers during a flood in Marikina City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Rescuers carry a victim after he was buried by a landslide amid heavy rainfall in Quezon City, Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Rescuers search for victims buried by a landslide amid heavy rainfall in Quezon City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Rescuers search for victims buried by a landslide amid heavy rainfall in Quezon City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Residents wade across a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Filipino men cross deep floodwaters in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Flood victims ride in a rescue boat, as they evacuate to higher ground, along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Residents wade across a flooded road in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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This general view shows a group among hundreds of residents who are housed in a basketball court that has been converted into an evacuation centre in Quezon City, Suburban Manila, on Aug 6, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Rescuers rest on an inflatable mattress floating along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A man crosses deep floodwaters using water containers as floaters in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines, on Aug 7, 2012. Deadly torrential rains submerged much of the Philippine capital and surrounding areas on Tuesday, forcing nearly 270,000 people to flee their homes with more flooding expected in the north of the country as a tropical storm passes through the region, officials said. -- PHOTO: AP
Residents transport a hog aboard a pedicab along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. Monsoon rains swamped the Philippine capital and nearby provinces forcing the government to close schools, public and private offices and financial markets, as emergency workers rushed to move thousands of people to higher grounds, government disaster officials said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Children play on a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Residents ride on a pedicab along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A man transports vegetables on his motorcycle along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Residents take shelter at an evacuation centre after their shanties were submerged by floodwaters in Baseco, Tondo city, metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
A man fishes out his merchandise from floodwaters, in front of a city hall in Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Rescuers evacuate residents from floodwaters in Marikina City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Resident wait on the roof for rescuers during a flood in Marikina City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Rescuers carry a victim after he was buried by a landslide amid heavy rainfall in Quezon City, Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Rescuers search for victims buried by a landslide amid heavy rainfall in Quezon City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Rescuers search for victims buried by a landslide amid heavy rainfall in Quezon City, Metro Manila on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Residents wade across a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Filipino men cross deep floodwaters in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Flood victims ride in a rescue boat, as they evacuate to higher ground, along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Residents wade across a flooded road in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
This general view shows a group among hundreds of residents who are housed in a basketball court that has been converted into an evacuation centre in Quezon City, Suburban Manila, on Aug 6, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Rescuers rest on an inflatable mattress floating along a flooded street in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Aug 7, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
MANILA (REUTERS) - Deadly torrential rains submerged much of the Philippine capital and surrounding areas on Tuesday, forcing nearly 270,000 people to flee their homes with more flooding expected in the north of the country as a tropical storm passes through the region, officials said.
Steady rains for the past 10 days, killing more than 50 people, are set to continue until Wednesday, the Philippines weather bureau said, fuelled by tropical storm "Haikui" in the Philippine Sea north-east of Taiwan. The storm is headed for China's Zhejiang province where more than 250,000 people have been evacuated ahead of expected landfall late on Wednesday.
"It's like Waterworld," said Mr Benito Ramos, head of the Philippines national disaster agency, referring to a Hollywood movie about a flooded world.
Schools, financial markets, and public and private offices were ordered shut, including outsourcing firms whose corporate clients are mainly from the United States (US) and Europe.
