Tropical Storm Leaves Dozens Dead, Missing in Southern Philippines
Multiple deaths were reported Friday on Mindanao in the town of Tubod.
“The river rose and most of the homes were swept away. The village is no longer there,” according to a Tubod police officer.
Boulders in the town of Piagapo that were loosened by flash floods buried 40 houses.
Police say 12,000 people have left their homes for higher ground.
Mayor Bong Edding of Zamboanga del Norte province's Sibuco town told The Associated Press by telephone that search and rescue was underway for more than 30 people swept away by flash floods in the fishing village of Anungan. Five bodies have been recovered in the village.
“The floodwaters from the mountain came down so fast and swept away people and houses,” Edding said. “It's really sad because Christmas is just a few days away but these things happen beyond our control.”
Edding blamed years of logging in the mountain near Anungan for the tragedy that unfolded Friday, adding he and other officials would move to halt the logging operations.
At least 48 others perished mostly in the hard-hit provinces of Lanao del Norte, where floodwaters from a mountain also swept away several houses and villagers, and Lanao del Sur, police and officials said.
Tropical Storm Tembin, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hours and gusts of up to 95 kph (59 mph), is forecast to blow away from the southern Philippines on Sunday toward the South China Sea, moving closer to Vietnam.
The Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons and storms each year and has a history of typhoons striking near the end of the year.
In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan plowed into the Philippines as one of the deadliest tropical cyclones on record. Also known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda, the storm killed 7,800 people, according to national emergency management officials.
The Philippines’ weather agency says seven Christmas Day typhoons have struck the nation in the past 65 years.
VOA contributed to this report.