Landslides and flooding have reportedly killed 13 people as heavy rain from the moving toward Tropical Storm Nalgae lashed the southern Philippines, a disaster official said.
Ten of the dead were from the flood-hit town of Datu Blah Sinsuat on Mindanao is a lathe, the civil security chief for the regional government Naguib Sinarimbo said on Friday.
Rescuers in rubber boats recovered another three bodies in the neighboring town of Datu Odin Sinsuat as they combed the flooded areas around Cotabato City, Sinarimbo told the AFP news agency.
“We’re hoping the toll will end there,” he said.
Rescue teams including military units were also checking other areas where flooding and landslides had been reported.
The heavy rain began late on Thursday in the impoverished region of Mindanao triggering flash floods and landslides.
The state weather office in Manila said the rain storms were related to Tropical Storm Nalgae, which is headed toward the northern Philippines.
The civil defense office said nearly 5,000 people have been evacuated from flood and landslide-prone areas ahead of Nalgae’s expected landfall on Saturday or Sunday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said on Friday morning that storm Nalgae (known locally as Paeng) is likely to intensify in the next 24 hours and would likely result in flooding and rain-induced landslides and that winds might reach gale-force strength.
Tropical Storm Nalgae “is predicted to further intensify while moving over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea and may enter severe tropical storm category within 24 hours … it is less likely to reach typhoon category”, the agency said.
