MANILA - Saturday night's flood in Noveleta, Cavite, which caused residents to seek higher ground, was the worst ever in the municipality since the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, the mayor said Monday.

"In the span of 10 years ito po ang pinaka-worst na nangyari, sa loob ng 10 taon hindi kami nakaranas ng ganitong klaseng pagbaha, huli po nung Ondoy," Noveleta Mayor Dino Reyes Chua said on Monday.

(This is the worst flood that we have experienced in 10 years, the last time we experienced this was with Typhoon Ondoy [in 2009.])

• Noveleta residents climb rooftops to escape 'Paeng' floods
• 'Lord, tama na': Ilang taga-Cavite, na-trap sa mga bahay dahil sa bahang dala ni Paeng

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The local government unit was on the alert for tropical storm Paeng's onslaught over the weekend but had focused on evacuating residents from coastal barangays based on information from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The mayor said collapsed river walls and rainfall from upland areas of Cavite such as Tagaytay, Magallanes, and Silang end up in the Noveleta catch basin.

Ylang-ylang River cuts through 12 barangays in Noveleta, all of which are protected by river walls.

But the powerful rush of water from Paeng's large amounts of rain combined with debris from uplands tore through and collapsed river walls in 4 barangays, submerging 10 of Noveleta's 16 barangays as the water made its way downstream to the sea.

"Kasama ang troso, mga naputol na puno, basura galing upland, yun ang tumama sa mga kabahayan kaya nasira ang mag pader, gate. Maraming natamaang mga sasakyan at tinangay na sasakyan, pati tulay nasira," Chua said.

(Water from the uplands carried with it logs and trash, which hit the riverwall, homes, gates, vehicles, and bridges.)

"Kami po ay medyo nahihirapan kasi hindi pa bumabalik- ang karamihan po sa mga barangay sa amin wala pang kuryente at tubig, at down ang internet," Chua said, sharing that he sought to use internet connection from a local clinic to do the interview with Teleradyo.

(It's difficult to get back on our feet, most barangays have yet to get electricity and water supply restored, and we have no internet connection.)

• 2 patay sa Noveleta, Cavite dahil sa bagyong Paeng

"Ang proposal po namin sa DPWH at sa national government ay ayusin na rin [ang river wall]. Kasi 'yung bago na ginagawa ngayon na mga river wall, sheet pile na po, bakal na po ang kinakabit. Dati po kasi semento lang kaya madaling magiba," Chua said.

(We proposed to the DPWH and the national government to fortify our river walls with sheet pile instead of just concrete.)

Local government budgets will not suffice to fund what Chua said are better quality river walls, quoting about 200 million pesos for each barangay's sheet pile river wall.

There are 3 fatalities recorded in Noveleta: 1 died from a heart attack as floodwaters rose and left residents to stay on roofs, Chua said.

President Ferdinad "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is expected to arrive at Noveleta on Monday to give out relief goods and assess damage in the area.