[UPDATED] Tropical storm slams into Philippines, death toll rises to 45

MANILA – Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae slammed into the Philippines today, after unleashing flash floods and landslides that left at least 45 people dead, officials said.

Nalgae pounded the archipelago nation’s main island of Luzon with maximum winds of 95km/h after making landfall on the sparsely populated Catanduanes island before dawn.

Heavy rains triggered by the approaching storm began Thursday in the southern Philippines, the state weather service said, inundating mostly rural areas on Mindanao island.

That was followed by landslides and flooding, with fast-moving, debris-laden waters sweeping away entire families in some areas.

By this morning, the death toll had risen to 45, said the country’s civil defence director, Rafaelito Alejandro.

At least 14 people are still missing, he added.

Rescuers are focusing on the village of Kusiong, where dozens of bodies were recovered yesterday after the floods hit.

Revised death toll

Officials sharply revised the death toll from the tropical storm, saying only 45 people had been killed, correcting the earlier reported toll of 72.

Civil defence officials acknowledged rescue teams sent to the country’s flood-swamped south yesterday had erred in their reporting, leading to some deaths being tallied twice.

“When we consolidated the reports at 6am today we realised there were only 40 dead, 31 injured, and 15 missing,” said Naguib Sinarimbo, spokesman and civil defence chief for the southern region.

Alejandro also confirmed the lower figure at a news conference in Manila, saying 40 bodies were recovered from the disaster in the southern region of Mindanao.

Tropical Storm Nalgae killed five other people elsewhere in the country, Alejandro added.

Earlier today the civil defence office reported 72 dead, 14 missing, and 33 injured.

Alejandro told reporters the death toll was reduced after local officials conducted a “validation” of the reports.

Manila could be next

In recent years, flash floods with mud and debris from largely deforested mountainsides have been among the deadliest hazards posed by typhoons in the Philippines.

The state weather service said Nalgae could hit the capital Manila.

“Based on our projections, this one is really strong so we really prepared for it,” Alejandro said, adding that 5,000 rescue teams were on standby.

He urged residents in the storm’s path to stay at home.

More than 7,000 people were evacuated ahead of the landfall, the civil defence office said.

The coast guard has also suspended ferry services through most of the Philippines.

The storm struck at the beginning of a long weekend in the country when millions return to their hometowns to visit the graves of their relatives.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 major storms each year that kill hundreds of people and keep vast regions in perpetual poverty.

Scientists have warned that such storms, which also kill livestock and destroy key infrastructure, are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. – AFP, October 29, 2022