Philippines: Dozens Killed in Floods, Landslides ahead of Tropical Storm

By Staff, Agencies

Landslides and flooding have killed at least 31 people and nine others remain missing as heavy rain from the approaching Tropical Storm Nalgae lashed the southern Philippines.

Torrential rainstorms unleashed flash flooding overnight that carried uprooted trees, rocks and mud into rural communities around Cotabato, a city of 300,000 people on Mindanao island.

Many residents were surprised by the rapidly rising floodwaters, Naguib Sinarimbo, civil defense chief for the regional government, said on Friday.

“The amount of rainwater that came down overnight was unusually [heavy] and flowed down mountainsides and swelled rivers,” he said, explaining that most of the victims were swept away by floodwaters and drowned, or were hit by debris-laden mudslides.

Rescuers in rubber boats were searching flooded areas around Cotabato City and emergency teams, including military units, were also checking other areas where flooding and landslides had been reported.