13 people lost their lives to landslides and flooding on Friday as a tropical storm approaching the southern Philippines dumped torrential rain, according to a disaster official.
According to Naguib Sinarimbo, the regional government's spokesman and commander of civil defense, ten of the fatalities were from the Mindanao island town of Datu Blah Sinsuat in Maguindanao province, which had recently experienced flooding.
As they searched the flooded regions surrounding Cotabato city, rescuers in rubber boats found three more fatalities in the nearby hamlet of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Sinarimbo added.
“We’re hoping the toll will end there,” he added.
Heavy rain began late Thursday in the impoverished region, which is under Muslim self-rule after decades of separatist armed rebellion. The state weather office PAGASA in Manila said the non-stop rain was partly caused by Tropical Storm Nalgae, far to the northeast.
According to Naguib Sinarimbo, the regional government's spokesman and commander of civil defense, ten of the fatalities were from the Mindanao island town of Datu Blah Sinsuat in Maguindanao province, which had recently experienced flooding.
As they searched the flooded regions surrounding Cotabato city, rescuers in rubber boats found three more fatalities in the nearby hamlet of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Sinarimbo added.
“We’re hoping the toll will end there,” he added.
Heavy rain began late Thursday in the impoverished region, which is under Muslim self-rule after decades of separatist armed rebellion. The state weather office PAGASA in Manila said the non-stop rain was partly caused by Tropical Storm Nalgae, far to the northeast.
