Marikina River reaches second alarm on July 24

The Marikina River was placed under the second alarm for nearly 12 hours on Saturday, July 24, as its water level rose to 16 meters and beyond.

The river was initially placed under the first alarm at around 12 am on Saturday after the water level hit 15 meters, which meant residents were being told to prepare to evacuate.

Then the second alarm was declared at 1:40 am, signaling that residents in low-lying areas must evacuate to designated centers. As of 1:55 pm, at least 3,411 families or 14,892 persons had evacuated in Marikina City.

At 1:15 pm, the river’s water level went down to 15.9 meters and it was downgraded back to the first alarm.

Finally, at 7:02 pm, the first alarm was lifted as the water level fell to 14.9 meters, or normal status.

Below are the water levels recorded on Saturday, as posted by the Marikina City Public Information Office on Facebook.

• 12 am – 15 meters (first alarm)
• 12:25 am – 15.4 meters
• 12:35 am – 15.5 meters
• 1 am – 15.7 meters
• 1:10 am – 15.9 meters
• 1:40 am – 16 meters (raised to second alarm)
• 2 am – 16.2 meters
• 4 am – 16.2 meters
• 5 am – 16.1 meters
• 7 am – 16.2 meters
• 8 am – 16.3 meters
• 9 am – 16.4 meters
• 10 am – 16.4 meters
• 11 am – 16.3 meters
• 1 pm – 16 meters
• 1:15 pm – 15.9 meters (downgraded to first alarm)
• 3 pm – 15.5 meters
• 4 pm – 15.4 meters
• 6 pm – 15.1 meters
• 6:30 pm – 15 meters
• 7:02 pm – 14.9 meters (alarm lifted, back to normal status)
• 8 pm – 14.8 meters
• 9 pm – 14.6 meters
• 10 pm – 14.5 meters
• 11 pm – 14.4 meters

The third alarm is the highest in the system – declared when the Marikina River’s water level reaches 18 meters. This would entail forced evacuation.

The southwest monsoon or hanging habagat enhanced by Typhoon Fabian (In-fa) has been causing heavy rain in much of Luzon all week. Fabian left the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 11 pm on Friday, July 23, but it continued to enhance the southwest monsoon on Saturday.

In November 2020, when Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) battered Luzon, the river’s water level peaked at 22 meters. This was higher than the 21.5 meters reached during Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) in September 2009, Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro had said then. – Rappler.com