Officials report that there have now been 25 flood-related deaths in the Philippines, and storms are expected to bring more rain to the southern and central provinces, which have been the hardest hit.
Tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes on Christmas Day due to the torrential rain that inundated rural villages, cities, and highways; this dampened festivities for the region’s predominately Catholic population’s most important holiday.
The national disaster service updated the death toll and reported that at least 13 persons have away, the majority of them drowning, in the province of Misamis Occidental on the southern island of Mindanao.
Twenty-six people were still missing. Nine have been injured.
The state weather forecaster said moderate to heavy rains were likely across southern and central regions on Wednesday and Thursday due to a low-pressure area off the coast that could develop into a tropical depression.
“Flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards,” the weather bureau said.
The disaster agency said relief efforts were under way to help people in areas hit hard by the flooding, as more than 81,000 people sheltered in evacuation centres.
To determine the extent of the damage, officials were to fly surveillance over Misamis Occidental on Wednesday.
Over the weekend, the weather deteriorated as the 110 million citizens of this disaster-prone country got ready for a protracted Christmas break.
Scientists have warned that storms are growing stronger as the world gets warmer, and the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change.
