After 11 days of non stop rain, Manila and many of the nearby provincial areas of the Philippines are at a standstill with neck deep water from the monsoon and the effects of typhoons. Almost 850,000 people have been forced out of their homes by the rising water and a Government evacuation order is imminent for those living along the coast and the banks of the river. The death toll has reached 64 and rescue workers are struggling to reach people marooned by the water. It is almost impossible to detect where the usual water level should be as around 60% of Manilla is affected by the flooding.
A state of calamity has been declared as food shortages increase the pressure due to losses and water contamination. Across the country, businesses, schools and shops are closed as residents try to salvage what they can or abandon their reluctantly homes for the safety of emergency shelters.