At least 13 people have died in floods and landslides in the Philippines, according to official figures. Ten of the fatalities occurred in the town of Datu Blah Sinsuat on the southern island of Mindanao alone, a spokesman for the responsible regional government said Friday. Seven other people are missing.
The rural areas around Cotabato City, with a population of 300,000, were particularly hard hit by the storm. On the night of Friday it rained in torrents there, the bodies of water tore uprooted trees, rocks and mud. Rescue workers in dinghies removed some of the affected residents from the roofs of their homes.
A lot of rain is expected on Friday
Meanwhile, water receded from some of the affected areas, while about 90 percent of Cotabato City remained submerged. The regional government may also expect more heavy rainfall for Friday. The Philippine Central Government’s weather bureau in Manila attributes the storms in part to Tropical Storm Nalgae.
Residents were evacuated as a precaution
Nalgae continued to move toward the northern Philippines on Friday, with the storm expected to make landfall there on Saturday or Sunday. According to the local civil protection authority, nearly 5,000 people were evacuated as a precaution in areas at high risk of flooding and landslides. The region around Cotabato City, particularly affected by the floods, is under Islamic self-government after decades of armed uprisings by separatists.
On average, about 20 typhoons and storms hit the Philippines every year, regularly killing lives and livestock and destroying crops, homes, roads and bridges. However, such storms are rare in the south of the Philippines now being affected.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
