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MANILA – A family in Marikina is calling to be rescued Thursday as floodwaters brought by Typhoon Ulysses (International name: Vamco) submerged houses in the city.

Ruben Bañares, who lives in No. 45, Cambridge St., Provident Village, said floodwaters almost reached the second floor of their house.

“Ito grabe ang bilis. As in, wala pang 10 minutes, pumasok na ang tubig sa bahay namin,” he told TeleRadyo.

(It was really sudden. In less than 10 minutes, the floodwaters entered our house.)

Together with him are 5 other family members, including an elderly, and 2 dogs.

The flooding triggered by Ulysses brought back memories of Tropical Storm Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) in 2009, he said.

• Marikina seeks air rescue as Ulysses floods submerge houses
• Marikina River exceeds Ondoy water level

According to the Marikina City Public Information Office, Marikina River's water level rose to 22 meters at 11 a.m., which is higher than Ondoy’s 21.5 meters.

The city had preemptively evacuated some 5,000 residents but was not expecting the river's water level to reach more than 18 meters, Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro earlier said.