Watch: Tide of rubbish blankets Philippines river

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:37:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A nine‑day deluge buries Manila in river‑wide trash as workers fight to clean up after record‑setting heavy rain.

A catastrophic nine‑day storm surge slammed the Philippines with a deluge equivalent to more than a month's worth of rain in some parts. The storm forced schools and government offices to close across Luzon and flooded Manila. Huge amounts of rubbish were washed into river channels, prompting workers to wade in to collect the waste. The floods, landslides and associated accidents have claimed 16 lives in northern regions, officials say. The disaster underscores the nation’s vulnerability to extreme weather and rising pollution levels.

Watch: Tide of rubbish blankets Philippines river

Workers waded through a rubbish‑filled river in Manila, collecting waste that had been washed in during days of heavy rain.

The nine‑day downpour, fueled by tropical storms, delivered more rain than a month’s worth in some areas. Its impact forced school and government office closures across the main island of Luzon and flooded the capital.

Floods, landslides and accidents driven by the rains killed at least 16 people in the northern Philippines, rescuers reported on Monday.

The wave of waste underscores the pressing challenge of managing urban pollution in rapidly developing regions and the urgent need for coordinated emergency response plans in the face of increasing climate‑related disasters.