Monsoon rains trigger widespread flooding in Philippines

Heavy monsoon rains have caused widespread flooding across the Philippines' main island, leading to the closure of schools and government offices for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, according to reports. The state weather bureau issued a warning of further heavy rainfall over western provinces, while the capital city of Metro Manila was alerted about the potential swamping of flood-prone areas.

Roads in the resort town of Puerto Galera, located south of the capital, are currently inaccessible due to flooding, reported ABS-CBN News. Moreover, parts of Rizal and Occidental Mindoro provinces remain inundated, media outlets have noted.

The government had previously instructed state employees in the capital and surrounding areas to work remotely for the second day in a row on Tuesday, following the inundation of parts of Metro Manila. A week's worth of rain fell on the capital in just two hours from noon on Monday, as per ABS-CBN News. This directive encompassed Metro Manila and 14 other provinces across the main island of Luzon.

Due to the heavy rainfall resulting from the southwest monsoon, most cities within the capital have already ceased physical classes for Tuesday.

The weather bureau indicated that heavy rainfall due to the southwest monsoon is expected to persist on Wednesday. The agency cautioned of potential floods and landslides in the western portion of Luzon island, where the capital is situated. Two low-pressure areas, with a high likelihood of developing into storms, are presently in close proximity to the Philippines, contributing to the intensification of monsoon rains, as reported by the weather bureau.