What a terrible fate for the city. Sink or swim, as they say. Sometimes the greatest innovations come not from creativity, but from necessity. Maybe with a bit of ingenuity, Dagupan City can become the next Venice in the future...
1 meter doesn't sound like very much in the long run but it's a lot of work still, isn't it?
My own neighborhood sits very close to a massive lake. I think back then the storms here were worse, but flooding was also a major problem. A century ago, they elevated the street in what is now the older part of the neighborhood. This was a massive undertaking! It was raised higher than one story! The sidewalks that lead to the front doors of the apartments actually meet the second story door. So the grass and people's yards are down below.
The venice of philippines. Lol why not. I think it might really happen someday.
Yup. The usual elevation I see in that city is between 1-2 ft only. I was looking on the facebook posts last night to find the exact measurement of the elevation but I can't find it. I noticed some areas weren't elevated for a meter.. but there were others that were about 5 ft high.
Wow! So your neighborhood didn't get flooded since then? The first story somehow turned into a basement. I'm afraid our city here will experience the same someday.
Well since I live in a newer section, actually it has never flooded! This part must have been built in the 1930s and 40s. There's an even newer part more south and I think it continues to grow in that direction.
My late neighbor used to tell stories of when my avenue was the last one. Beyond that was virgen prairie; undeveloped natural habitat! And they would just play softball in the fields. Much that once was is lost. None now live who remember it.
Some parts of streets might get inundated now, like during a heavy storm in autumn or springtime. I don't count that as a good though because it drains quickly and the basement remains dry. This is nothing compared to the Rains in Mexico or the little bit of the typhoon season I witnessed in the Philippines.
The northern section of the neighborhood is probably so much older that I don't think they even have true basements. It's only, like you said, the original ground floor is the basement even though it's not underground. I don't know the exact number either, but the street over there is elevated maybe 4 meters
or more
The elevation done was worth it after all! 👏 Even when your community continues to grow yet you guys don't get flooded. And maybe the drainage system was well-planned because flood on the streets drains quickly.