By admin At least 24 people died as Tropical Storm Trami hit the Philippines.
The storm caused widespread flooding and landslides on the main island of Luzon.
This forced schools and government offices to close for the next day – except for those urgently needed to respond to natural disasters.
Car submerged in mud
Philippine Coast Guard personnel evacuate residents of Camarines Sur. Photos: Reuters
The storm, known locally as Kristine, brought sustained winds of up to 95 km/h with gusts of up to 160 km/h.
Most of the victims drowned in the hard-hit Bicol region and nearby Quezon province.
Police and provincial authorities expect the death toll to rise.
Thousands of villagers trapped in floodwaters were rescued by government forces in the central Bicol region as water reached up to the roofs of bungalows.
But many more people needed rescuing – about 1,500 police officers were deployed to mitigate the effects of the disasters, said regional police chief Brigadier General Andre Dizon.
“We cannot save them all at once because there are so many of them and we need additional speedboats,” Brigadier General Dizon said.
“We are looking for ways to provide food and water to those who were trapped but could not be evacuated immediately.”
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Vehicles covered with volcanic mud. Photos: AP
Flash floods also swept away and submerged cars, he added.
Authorities said stormy weather was hampering relief efforts.
The government’s disaster mitigation agency reported that the storm affected more than two million people, including 75,400 rural residents who were displaced from their homes and took refuge in safer places.
A man swims in strong waves caused by Tropical Storm Trami in the capital Manila. Photo: AP
The Philippines It is typically hit by about 20 tropical storms a year, which often bring with them heavy rain, high winds and deadly landslides.