Heavy rains caused massive floods along Maharlika Highway in Quezon

Motorists have reported being stranded for at least 12 hours now as flood waters engulf a portion of Maharlika Highway in Lopez, Quezon, just before reaching the town of Calauag.

“I was already there at 9:00 PM [October 20],” shared Don Lopez in Filipino with MotoPinas.com, who was traveling to Bicol. He further shared, that it was just raining fairly light that evening, but waters from the mountains probably overwhelmed the rivers which then caused the massive flooding.

“The rain was pretty manageable. When I got where the traffic was [at] a standstill, the floodwater was only about ankle deep. Then I took a nap [inside my vehicle]. When I woke up, it was already about as high as my vehicle’s tire.”

This has left him no choice but to make a U-turn and head back to Manila. Lopez also shared that even heavy trucks bound for the Bicol region are no match for the chest-deep floodwaters. There were a few who dared to cross but ended up drowning the engines of their vehicles and getting stuck.

So if you’re planning or already on the way to Bicol but have yet to reach Lopez and Calauag in Quezon, the local disaster management units of the said towns are advising you to postpone your trip until a later time or until the floodwaters subside to avoid being stranded.

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