Philippines: 11 dead and one missing in back-to-back storms

At least 11 people have died in storms in the Philippines over the past week and more rains are expected in already soggy areas, authorities said on Tuesday.

Flooding and landslides caused by downpours had already killed 52 people and forced several hundred thousand people to flee their homes in the southern and central islands of the Philippines over the Christmas weekend.

Since Jan. 3, consecutive storms have killed 11 people as floodwaters swept away homes, destroyed roads and inundated crops, the civil defense office said.

One person is missing and more than 2,200 people have been evacuated from their homes, said Josh Echano, disaster management officer for the province of Northern Samar, on an island in the center of the archipelago.

“The flood has been progressing since yesterday,” he said again, adding that it could be “one of the worst” floods.

On Tuesday, the national meteorological agency warned of “severe flooding” in low-lying areas and landslides in the mountains of Samar Island.

The heavy rains have already flooded villages, with water levels reaching three meters in places. Other people could be evacuated.

The Philippines is ranked among the nations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and scientists have warned that the storms are getting more powerful as the planet heats up.

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