Floods, landslides caused by Tropical Storm Yagi kill 11 in Philippines

Heavy rain from a powerful tropical storm has led to floods and landslides that have claimed at least 11 lives in the Philippines.

Tropical Storm Yagi struck the main island of Luzon on Monday, having previously moved past the Bicol region southeast of Manila overnight. The state weather service has forecast additional heavy rain, which could lead to further flooding and landslides.

In response, schools and government offices across the capital, Manila, were closed for the day. Ferry services in some regions were halted, and 29 domestic flights were canceled due to the weather conditions.

In Antipolo, near Manila, a landslide on Monday resulted in the deaths of three people, including a pregnant woman, according to city information officer Relly Bonifacio. He reported that the bodies of four other individuals, who had drowned, were recovered in different parts of the hilly community after creeks overflowed overnight.

The city of Naga in the Bicol region was also severely affected. Rescuers reported that a man was electrocuted by rising floodwaters and a baby girl drowned. “The floods were above head height in some areas,” noted Joshua Tuazon from the city’s public safety office, adding that hundreds of residents had been rescued.

Over 300 people sought refuge in evacuation camps on Monday, with officials noting that floodwaters in the city, which has a population of 210,000, were receding slowly.

The storm also caused significant disruption in Manila Bay, with strong currents and large waves throwing a barge and an oil tanker against the seawall and leaving another barge adrift, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. Additionally, a collision occurred between a tugboat and a small passenger ship, resulting in a fire on the passenger vessel. Eighteen crew members from the passenger ship were rescued, and a Coast Guard vessel arrived to extinguish the fire.

Tropical Storm Yagi made landfall in Casiguran, northeast of Manila, on Monday afternoon with sustained winds of 85 km/h (53 mph), according to the weather service. The storm is expected to move through northern Luzon overnight and exit over the South China Sea early Tuesday. The weather service has also issued a warning of a “minimal to moderate risk” of large coastal waves threatening northern Luzon’s seaside communities.

Each year, approximately 20 major storms and typhoons impact the Philippines or its surrounding waters, causing damage to homes and infrastructure and resulting in numerous fatalities.