Rescue teams in nine provinces in the Philippines raced today to try to find 26 people missing after a weekend of rains, floods and landslides that killed at least 25 people in one of the deadliest weather events this year. The National Disaster Agency said today that the number of deaths reported so far had risen to 25 from 17 the previous day, with most of the deaths due to drowning in flash floods.
From the disaster agency Diego Agustin Mariano said “Search and rescue operations are continuing under the guidance of the coast guard because most of them were missing fishermen. The rain-triggered floods and landslides are unlike previous disasters in the Philippines, which are usually triggered by more severe typhoons and tropical storms, of which the archipelago typically sees about 20 a year.
The disaster agency also recorded more than 300 flooded areas and 20 landslides caused by the rain, which together forced more than 80,000 people to take shelter in evacuation centers. Most of the flooding has since receded. Local media on Wednesday showed images of people crammed into gymnasiums converted into evacuation centers and residents clearing debris and cleaning homes after days of heavy rains. The state meteorological agency said occasional light to moderate rains will continue in the central and southern regions until Thursday.
