A tropical storm in the Philippines, which triggered mudslides and flooding has left more than 200 people dead and several others reported missing.
Rescuers are searching for survivors of storm Tembin, which also left thousands homeless. The bulk of the damage occurred on Friday, on the main southern island of Mindanao, the Guardian reports.
“The floodwaters from the mountain came down so fast and swept away people and houses,” says Bong Edding, mayor of Sibuco in Zamboanga del Norte province. “It’s really sad because Christmas is just a few days away, but these things happen beyond our control.”
The country’s woes are compounded by the death of at least 37 people in a shopping mall fire. So indeed it is really another bleak Chrismas for the country.
The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year and warnings are routinely issued. Last week, 46 people were killed in the central Philippines when a typhoon hit. Last Christmas a powerful typhoon hit the densely populated area around Manilaand. In 2013 super typhoon Haiyan killed nearly 8,000 people and left 200,000 families homeless.
“It happened very fast, the flood waters quickly rose filling our house,” farmer Felipe Ybarsabal, 65, says. “We weren’t able to save anything from the house. There was no help from anyone because it was so fast. Everything was two to three metres under water in less than an hour.”
Police and disaster officials predict the death toll to rise as remote farm communities and coastal areas have been badly hit.
Disaster officials said 159 people are missing while about 70,000 had been forced from their homes.
Additional report from Metro UK.
Never the less God knows best.
This a bad news to hear during this festive period.
May the governor of Philippines pay them a visit.
What a pity to their family.
This Christmas season…. It’s just so tragic
Usually like that….. Too bad though
I can’t live In such countries.
For sure na.
What would their families do… ?
Only God can heal them
Only God can heal them ohh
200 people dead for crying out loud!!!
It is too sad ???
???
This is awful
OMG
This natural disasters are mostly due to man’s activities and leading to climate change and other phenomenons
This Particular natural disaster is not made my Man. Go back and read the news again. Flooding is a natural disaster.
This Particular natural disaster is not made by Man. Go back and read the news again. Flooding is a natural disaster.
Flooding is a natural disaster caused over time by mans activity
Well every country has its natural disaster and how dear country Nigeria’s own would be our Government or better said our leaders
i can only sigh
this christmas ?
so sorry for them
and we are hear angry about fuel.
such news reminds me of how faithful and loving GOD is?None of this happens in NIGERIA
Well we thank God Nigeria isnt formed on a moving tectonic plates and also we are just very fortunate natural disasters are not in nigeria.
We are blessed not to experience such on Nigeria.
This is sad christmas for the Philippine people, first of all they experienced a typhoon hit which left 46 people dead and now more people have being killed and swept away by flooding. Too bad some have even lost their homes. My heart goes out to each and everyone of them. I do hope the rescuers find more survivors. The Philippines Government should provide new homes to the affected family. RIP to those who lost their lives.
Why do we always expect the government to provide everything. the govt would provide Relief materials in the IDP camps created. Rip to the lost lives
It is their responsibility Oga Tobi. They have just lost their homes, where do you expect them to get money to rebuild their houses?
I pray God is going to provide new one for them