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Two domestic flights at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 4 were delayed due to the heavy downpour in Metro Manila on Tuesday.
Two commercial aircraft of AirAsia Zest bound for Kalibo and Davao had to be parked at the tarmac area when knee- to waist-deep flood submerged the area surrounding them.
Airport sources said the aircraft ground equipment could not be mobilized because of the flood at the tarmac.
After the flood waters subsided, the two planes were able to depart for their respective destinations before 3am on Wed, Sep 9.
Following safety guidelines, the airport tarmac or ramp area, including the runway, should be flood-proof.
Airport sources said a nearby open creek along andrews avenue was cemented, causing its width to decrease. This change may have triggered the flooding in the tarmac area, they said.
An aviation expert, meanwhile, said the presence of even ankle-deep water could be dangerous to any landing or departing aircraft.
Flood waters also hamper ground operations or the movement of passengers boarding the aircraft.
The Manila International Airport Authority has yet to release any information on the incident.
Text and photo: Raoul Esperas for ABS-CBNnews.com
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
