By hannover-web.com Rescue operations are ongoing as officials search for those missing after tropical storm Trami unleashed two months’ worth of rainfall on certain areas in just 24 hours. The death toll has now surpassed 100 following extensive flooding and landslides in the Philippines, as President Bongbong Marcos announces that many regions remain isolated.
Trami moved away from the northwestern part of the country on Friday, leaving at least 81 dead and 34 missing, marking it as one of the deadliest storms this year, according to the government’s disaster response agency. With more reports coming in from previously unreachable areas, officials expect the casualty numbers to rise.
In the lakeside town of Talisay, Batangas province, rescue workers, including police and firefighters, supported by backhoes and search dogs, recovered one of the last two missing individuals on Saturday.
“The rain was just overwhelming,” President Marcos stated during his inspection of a severely affected region southeast of Manila. “We’re still deep in rescue efforts, and many areas remain flooded and inaccessible even to large trucks.”
Marcos indicated that his administration plans to initiate a significant flood control project to tackle the unprecedented challenges posed by climate change. More than 4.2 million people were affected by the storm, with nearly half a million seeking refuge in over 6,400 emergency shelters across various provinces.
During an emergency cabinet meeting, Marcos expressed concerns over meteorological forecasts suggesting the storm—marking the 11th to hit the Philippines this year—could potentially circle back next week due to high-pressure winds in the South China Sea. There are warnings that if it doesn’t change course, it may impact Vietnam over the weekend.
To ensure public safety, the Philippine government shut down schools and offices for a third consecutive day on Friday on Luzon, the main northern island, while inter-island ferry services were also halted, stranding thousands.
As of Saturday, weather conditions improved in several areas, allowing cleanup operations to commence. Each year, around 20 storms and typhoons strike the Philippines. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record, tragically resulted in over 7,300 deaths or missing persons and devastated entire communities.
