Tropical Storm Trami leaves 24 dead in heavy flooding and landslides in Philippines

At least 24 people have died after Tropical Storm Trami made landfall in the Philippines.

The storm caused widespread flooding and landslides on the main Luzon island.

It forced schools and government offices to shut for a second day – except for those urgently needed for disaster response.

Known locally as Kristine, the storm brought sustained winds of up to 59mph (95kph) and gusts of up to 99mph (160kph).

Most of those who died drowned in the hard-hit Bicol region and nearby Quezon province.

The number of deaths was expected to rise, police and provincial officials said.

Thousands of villagers trapped in floodwaters have been rescued by government forces in the central Bicol region as floodwaters reached as high as the roofs of bungalows.

But many more remained in need of rescue, with around 1,500 police officers deployed for disaster-mitigation work, regional police chief Brigadier General Andre Dizon said.

“We can’t rescue them all at once because there are so many and we need additional motorboats,” Brig Gen Dizon said.

“We’re looking for ways to deliver food and water to those who were trapped but could not be evacuated right away.”

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Flash floods also swept away and submerged cars, he added.

Stormy weather was hampering relief efforts, officials said.

More than two million people have been affected by the storm, the government’s disaster mitigation agency said, including 75,400 villagers who have been displaced from their homes and are sheltering on safer ground.

The Philippines is typically battered by around 20 tropical storms annually, which often bring heavy rains, strong winds and deadly landslides.