Mud, Floods, 5.0 Quake Hit Philippines : Weather: Nature’s wrath adds to misery in a nation still reeling from Mt. Pinatubo’s eruptions.

An earthquake, floods and mudflows struck parts of the Philippines on Friday, causing panic and adding to the misery of a nation recovering from the devastation of last month’s eruption of the Mt. Pinatubo volcano.

Heavy rains drenched Manila throughout the day, flooding major streets at the evening rush hour and forcing the evacuation of 3,800 people. At least two people were killed when they stepped on a submerged electric wire, police said.

At least 7,000 people were evacuated early Friday from villages in Pampanga province, north of Manila, as volcanic debris cascaded down the Abacan River. The river flows near Clark Air Base, heavily damaged by Mt. Pinatubo’s eruptions. U.S. authorities have decided to abandon the base next year.

The magnitude-5.0 earthquake jolted Manila and provinces near the erupting volcano, scientists said. Witnesses said hundreds fled homes and schools in the region.

The quake was centered outside the town of Floridablanca, 60 miles northwest of Manila and about 12 miles from Mt. Pinatubo, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said. It was unclear whether the eruptions helped trigger the quake.

“It took a long time before (the shaking) stopped,” said Richard Gordon, mayor of Olongapo city, which has been clogged by gray volcanic ash since Pinatubo began erupting June 9.

Earthquakes have periodically rocked towns near Pinatubo since it began erupting but were rarely felt in Manila.

The temblor occurred while Manila was experiencing flash floods caused by monsoon rains and while mudflows, rising as high as 14 feet, were rampaging down rivers and villages at the foot of the volcano, relief officials said.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Jose de Jesus said most major north-south arteries were closed because of flooding.

“Our drainage system, although it is functioning, cannot transport the water fast enough into canals and pumping stations,” he said.

In Mexico, a town 44 miles north of Manila, mud buried about 280 houses, Municipal Engineer Jesus Punzalan said. He said there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The mudflows were made up of tons of volcanic ash and rocks deposited by the eruption on Pinatubo and loosened by rain. The mudflows spread as wide as 300 feet in some sections, military spokesman Capt. Paul Mascarinas said in a radio interview.