• Rescuers evacuate residents from their flooded homes after Typhoon Vamco hit, in Marikina City, Metro Manila, Philippines. AFP
    Rescuers evacuate residents from their flooded homes after Typhoon Vamco hit, in Marikina City, Metro Manila, Philippines. AFP
  • Residents affected by floods from by Typhoon Vamco are rescued on a boat in Marikina. Reuters
    Residents affected by floods from by Typhoon Vamco are rescued on a boat in Marikina. Reuters
  • Residents trapped on their roofs board a small raft as they are evacuated as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
    Residents trapped on their roofs board a small raft as they are evacuated as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
  • A man carries a dog as he evacuates from a flooded community following Typhoon Vamco, in Marikina. Reuters
    A man carries a dog as he evacuates from a flooded community following Typhoon Vamco, in Marikina. Reuters
  • Rescuers evacuate residents from their flooded homes after Typhoon Vamco hit, in Marikina City. AFP
    Rescuers evacuate residents from their flooded homes after Typhoon Vamco hit, in Marikina City. AFP
  • Rescuers pull a rubber boat carrying residents through a flooded street after Typhoon Vamco hit in Marikina. AFP
    Rescuers pull a rubber boat carrying residents through a flooded street after Typhoon Vamco hit in Marikina. AFP
  • Police rescue residents as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
    Police rescue residents as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
  • A man is pictured on top of a roof after floods caused by Typhoon Vamco, in San Mateo, Rizal province. Reuters
    A man is pictured on top of a roof after floods caused by Typhoon Vamco, in San Mateo, Rizal province. Reuters
  • Residents look at a swollen river as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
    Residents look at a swollen river as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
  • A man walks his bike past a fallen tree following Typhoon Vamco, at a road in Quezon City, Metro Manila. Reuters
    A man walks his bike past a fallen tree following Typhoon Vamco, at a road in Quezon City, Metro Manila. Reuters
  • Residents trapped on their roofs prepare to evacuate as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
    Residents trapped on their roofs prepare to evacuate as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
  • A man stands on the a roof as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
    A man stands on the a roof as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
  • Submerged structures are seen at a swollen river as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo
    Submerged structures are seen at a swollen river as floods continue to rise in Marikina. AP Photo

Major floods in Manila as Typhoon Vamco batters Philippines


  • English
  • Arabic

The third typhoon to hit the Philippines in as many weeks caused major flooding in Manila on Thursday, trapping people on rooftops and claiming at least one life in another part of the country.

Typhoon Vamco carried winds of up to 155 kilometres per hour as it swept across the country's largest island of Luzon after making landfall overnight.

Authorities warned of landslides and potentially deadly storm surges along the coast.

Heavy rain effectively shut down Manila, the city of 12 million people, and surrounding areas.

"A lot of places are submerged. Many people are crying for help," said Rouel Santos, 53, a retired disaster officer in Rizal province, next to the capital.

Mr Santos said the flooding caused by Vamco brought back memories of the devastating Typhoon Ketsana, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Ondoy, that hit in 2009 and claimed hundreds of lives.

An official from the country's Office of Civil Defence said rainfall caused by Vamco so far was "near the volume" during Ondoy, and issued a warning that flooding could worsen as runoff from nearby mountains flowed into already swollen waterways.

Philippine Red Cross personnel used boats to rescue people stranded in their homes in Marikina City, one of the hardest-hit areas of the capital, withhere the water in some streets reeling under shoulder-high water.

Photos shared on Twitter by Red Cross chief Richard Gordon showed people being lowered through a hole in a roof while others were helped to climb over a balcony railing into a boat.

"The magnitude of what we're experiencing now is comparable to Ondoy," Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro told CNN Philippines.

"We have so many people who until now are stranded on their rooftops or trapped on the second floor of their houses. Some areas that were historically not flooded, such as the City Hall, are submerged."

A resident makes her way through a flooded street to shelter after Typhoon Vamco hit Marikina City, suburban Manila on November 12, 2020. AFP
A resident makes her way through a flooded street to shelter after Typhoon Vamco hit Marikina City, suburban Manila on November 12, 2020. AFP

At least one person died and three others were missing in Camarines Norte province, Civil Defence said late on Wednesday.

Requests for help were "pouring in", said Casiano Monilla, Civil Defence deputy administrator for operations.

He said many people had not heeded warnings to evacuate before the typhoon struck.

"I didn't expect it to be like this," said Rosalinda Opsima, who fled her home with her husband after the fast-rising water caught them by surprise.

Schools, which have been empty since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March, are being used as emergency shelters along with gymnasiums.

The weather service has warned people of life-threatening storm surges along parts of the coast, including in Manila, that could inundate low-lying areas.

The Bicol region, which Vamco grazed before making landfall, was hit by powerful winds and heavy rain on Wednesday as the eye of the typhoon neared the disaster-prone archipelago.

The area is still reeling from deadly typhoons Molave and Goni, which killed dozens of people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes.

Some areas of Bicol remain without power and with only limited or no telecom services after Goni, the most powerful typhoon so far this year, toppled power lines, flattened houses and flooded roads.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons every year, which typically wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure in already impoverished areas.

11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi

Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)

Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)

Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)

Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).

Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)

Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)

Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)

Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)

Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia

Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)

Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)

Brief scores:

Liverpool 3

Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'

Manchester United 1

Lingard 33'

Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 720hp

Torque: 770Nm

Price: Dh1,100,000

On sale: now

The%20pillars%20of%20the%20Dubai%20Metaverse%20Strategy
%3Cp%3EEncourage%20innovation%20in%20the%20metaverse%20field%20and%20boost%20economic%20contribution%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20outstanding%20talents%20through%20education%20and%20training%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20applications%20and%20the%20way%20they%20are%20used%20in%20Dubai's%20government%20institutions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAdopt%2C%20expand%20and%20promote%20secure%20platforms%20globally%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20the%20infrastructure%20and%20regulations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Keane on …

Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”

Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE