BLOCKED drainage infrastructure, unfinished flood control works, and a narrow creek channel caused the flooding that submerged the northbound lanes of EDSA at the corner of Main Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City, during heavy rains on July 10, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The findings came from a site inspection by MMDA’s Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office (FCSMO) following heavy rains from the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Inday, which flooded a section of EDSA and several parts of Metro Manila.
The inspection found that while three existing drainage lines discharge stormwater into Makiling Creek, several issues prevented water from flowing efficiently, including a blocked 42-inch reinforced concrete pipe culvert obstructed by a suspected waterline and a concrete barrier.
MMDA personnel immediately removed the concrete obstruction during the inspection. But the agency said the suspected waterline continues to restrict the drainage system, and relocating it will require coordination with Manila Water.
Engineers also found that an unfinished 48-inch drainage line along Main Avenue on the EDSA southbound side limits the stormwater's flow toward the Makiling Creek, whose narrow downstream channel creates a bottleneck that causes water to back up and overflow onto EDSA during periods of intense rainfall.
To address the recurring flooding, the MMDA recommended coordinating with Manila Water to relocate the obstructing waterline, replacing the existing manhole along the EDSA Carousel northbound lane with a steel grating to improve water intake, completing the unfinished 48-inch drainage line, and constructing a new 60-inch reinforced concrete pipe upstream of Main Avenue to expand the drainage system’s capacity.
The agency said the proposed interventions are intended to improve stormwater drainage and reduce flooding along the EDSA-Main Avenue corridor during heavy rainfall.
