67 dead in floods and landslides in southern Philippines
Policemen carry an elderly person during a rescue operation in the flooded Parang town.
EPA
The death toll from floods and landslides has risen to at least 67 in the southern Philippines, where heavy rains fell ahead of a storm, a local civil defense official said yesterday.
The storm caused floods that washed away trees, rocks and mud in many rural towns and cities, mostly in the vicinity of Cotabato, which has a population of 300,000, and is located on the island of Mindanao.
The high level of the flood waters surprised many residents, said Najib Sinarimbo, civil defense official in the region.
He said 27 people were killed in Datu Udin Sinsuat town, including 11 from a mountain village buried in the mud, 10 were killed in Datu Blah Sinsuat town, and five in Ubi town. Heavy floods mixed with mud and rocks engulfed the town.
Senarimbo added that 16 people are missing in the area.
While the floods have receded in a number of areas, Cotabato City is still inundated with water.
The army deployed its trucks to retrieve stranded residents in Cotabato and eight other towns, according to the regional civil defense.
The Meteorological Department in Manila said the flooding was caused in part by Tropical Storm Nalghi, which is expected to intensify when it makes landfall.
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