At least 25 people died in the floods on Christmas Day in the Philippines, according to a new report from the authorities published on Wednesday (December 28th).
Tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes after torrential rains submerged villages, towns and highways, cutting short Christmas festivities in the predominantly Catholic country. According to the national disaster management agency, more than 81,000 people took refuge in evacuation centers and efforts were still being made to come to the aid of the most affected populations.
At least 13 people have died, most of them drowned, in Misamis Occidental province and on the southern island of Mindanao. Twenty-six people remain untraceable while nine injuries have been identified.
A country vulnerable to natural disasters
According to the weather forecast, moderate to heavy rain remained likely on Wednesday and Thursday in central and southern regions, due to an area of low pressure coming from the coast which could develop into a tropical depression.
“Rain-induced flooding and landslides are possible, especially in areas prone or very prone to these hazards”explained the state weather bureau.
Authorities announced on Wednesday that aerial reconnaissance operations were underway over Misamis Occidental to assess the extent of the damage.
The weather had started to deteriorate at the end of last week in the Philippines, one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters and where a large part of the 110 million inhabitants were preparing to celebrate Christmas.