Floods, flights cancelled as Typhoon Gaemi leaves Manila in state of calamity

Residents with their belongings evacuate their flooded homes in Tumana village, Marikina City, east of Manila on July 24, 2024. - AFP

MANILA: Heavy rain from Typhoon Gaemi has flooded the Philippine capital Manila and nearby cities, forcing authorities to shut schools, offices and cancel flights on Wednesday (July 24) and declare a state of calamity in a region that is home to 13 million people.

The storm, which is strengthening as it gusts towards Taiwan, did not make landfall in the Philippines but has intensified seasonal monsoon rains, causing landslides and flooding over the past few days.