Widespread flooding and landslides set off by a tropical storm in the northeastern Philippines has left at least 24 people dead, swept away cars and prompted authorities to scramble for motorboats to rescue trapped villagers, some on roofs.
The government shut down schools and offices — except those urgently needed for disaster response — for the second day on the entire main island of Luzon to protect millions of people after Tropical Storm Trami slammed into the country’s northeastern province of Isabela after midnight.
The storm was blowing over Aguinaldo town in the mountain province of Ifugao after dawn with sustained winds up to 95km/h and gusts up to 160km/h. It was blowing westward and was forecast to enter the South China Sea later today, according to state forecasters.
At least 24 people died, mostly due to drowning in the hard-hit Bicol region and nearby Quezon province but the toll was expected to rise as towns and villages isolated by flooding and roads blocked by landslides and toppled trees manage to send out reports, police and provincial officials said.
Residents staying on top of their roofs to avoid floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami await to be rescued at Libon, Albay province, Philippines. (Source: Philippine Coastguard via AP)
Most of the storm deaths were reported in the six-province Bicol region, southeast of Manila, where at least 20 people died, including 7 residents in Naga city, which was inundated by flash floods as Trami was approaching Tuesday, dumping more than two months’ worth of rainfall in just 24 hours at high tide, regional police chief Brigadier General Andre Dizon and other officials said.
While thousands of villagers, who were trapped in floodwaters, have been rescued by government forces, many more needed to be saved today in the Bicol region, including some on roofs. About 1500 police officers have been deployed for disaster-mitigation work, Dizon said.
"We can’t rescue them all at once because there are so many and we need additional motorboats," Dizon told The Associated Press by telephone. "We’re looking for ways to deliver food and water to those who were trapped but could not be evacuated right away."
A resident carries a baby as they are rescued from their roofs where they were staying to avoid floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami at Libon, Albay province, Philippines. (Source: Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
Flash floods swept away and submerged cars in some parts of Naga city while mudflows from Mayon, one of the country’s 24 active volcanoes, in nearby Albay province, engulfed several vehicles, Dizon said.
Stormy weather remained in the region, hampering relief efforts, officials said.
A resident walks beside a truck buried by volcanic mud that flowed down from Mayon volcano after heavy rains caused by Tropical Storm Trami hit Guinobatan town, Albay province, Philippines. (Source: Associated Press)
At least one person died after being hit by a fallen tree branch in central Masbate province while seven others were reported missing.
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Wednesday 7:56pm
The government’s disaster-mitigation agency said more than 2 million people were affected by the storm, including 75,400 villagers who were displaced from their homes and are sheltering on safer ground.
About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones in the world, left more than 7300 people dead or missing and flattened entire villages.
