MONSOON, TD KIYAPO SLAM PHILIPPINES: 6,900 VILLAGES AT RISK AS FLASH FLOODS, LANDSLIDES HIT VISAYAS AND MINDANAO

Courtesy: DOST-PAGASA

The combined forces of Tropical Depression Kiyapo and an intensified Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) have triggered widespread flash floods and landslides across the Philippines, placing nearly 6,900 barangays at high risk, disaster officials reported Tuesday, July 23, 2026.

The state weather bureau, PAGASA, has hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over 14 provinces across Northern Luzon, including Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Forecasters warn that Kiyapo’s peripheral trough, paired with the monsoonal surge, will dump an additional 100 to 200 mm of rain over heavily saturated mountainous regions, significantly elevating the risk of catastrophic soil collapses.

Mindanao Ravaged by Flash Floods

In southern Mindanao, relentless downpours caused rivers to burst their banks, inundating residential zones and infrastructure. In General Santos City, a powerful flash flood swept through the Makar River, submerging communities in Purok Roberto, Barangay Labangal.

The crisis extended into neighboring Sarangani Province, where a violent torrent along the Kling River in Kiamba severely damaged a critical hanging bridge. The structural failure has completely isolated an entire rural community from emergency services.

Further north in Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao, continuous rainfall caused localized river swelling, drowning expansive agricultural crop fields and forcing families in low-lying riverbank communities to flee to higher ground.

Visayas Battling Submerged Streets

The Western Visayas region bore the brunt of the enhanced Habagat, with Iloilo City reporting severe urban crisis. At least 28 to 30 barangays in the city were submerged in deep floodwaters, paralyzing morning commutes and bringing local business operations to a complete standstill.

Disaster monitoring agencies in the Visayas and Mindanao highlands confirmed that ground saturation has reached critical thresholds. Multiple minor, rain-induced landslides have already been documented, blocking secondary mountain passages and isolating remote rural roads.

National Disaster Response Triggered

In response to the escalating multi-regional emergency, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) placed regional councils on Blue Alert status. Emergency response assets, including rescue boats and heavy clearing equipment, have been deployed to key choke points.

Local government units (LGUs) are aggressively executing preemptive evacuations in highly vulnerable coastal and mountainous areas, as weather models project the severe rain and flood hazards to persist well into the weekend.