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Authorities have evacuated at least a thousand families in Cainta due to rising floods brought on by the southwest monsoon, Cainta Mayor Kit Nieto said Sunday morning.

Speaking to radio DZMM, Nieto said floods hit a high of 20-plus meters, prompting authorities to evacuate families living near the Manggahan Floodway. Many families in danger areas, he said, voluntarily left their homes when the 3rd alarm was raised.

He noted, however, that all major thoroughfares in Cainta are flood-free since yesterday due to improvements made in the municipality's streets over the past 5 years.

"Hindi na kami stranded, hindi na kami parang helpless in bringing stuff to them..." he said, adding that rescuers have been working overnight to reach out to affected residents.

The next goal for the local government is to relocate these families to safer areas in the next 18 months, he said.

All public schools and covered courts in Cainta are now being used as temporary shelters for the evacuees.

'MARCOS HIGHWAY LIKE A PARKING LOT'

For his part, Rely Bernardino, head of the Antipolo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said Marcos Highway leading to and from Antipolo became a "parking lot" due to heavy floods near Vermont creek.

"Unusual na ganun katagal yung taas ng baha. Mala Ondoy 'yung experience kasi mataas ang tubig tapos ang effect po niya maraming hindi makadaan na sasakayan," he said in a separate interview.

Bernardino said the flood is due to heavy rains coming from San Mateo, Marikina and Montalban.

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