Philippines officials say that about 45 people have lost their lives due to flash floods and landslides in the country’s southern province as the country was hit by a severe tropical storm, Nalge.
The storm has created the most devastation in the Maguindanao province, Mindanao island. The city of Cotabato and its surrounding areas have been severely flooded.
The storm is currently heading north to the capital city of Manila, which is expected to receive torrential rain in a few hours at a speed of 95km/hr.
Rescue workers are working hard to pull out dead bodies from the thick mud in areas that are affected by mudslides.
The Coast Guard has stopped the daily services to the islands in the archipelago, citing that they are risky in the current situation. They are also busy rescuing civilians in areas hit by the storm and evacuating them to secure areas like shelters.
Heavy rain started in the archipelago on Thursday and subsequently formed into a storm. The storm is to be at its strongest this weekend and has caused many shops, buses, and schools to shut down.
Earlier today, the authorities said that about seventy-two people had lost their lives, but this has been revised to 45.
Typically, the Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons per year and the Nalgae is not a strong one, although it is massive, wet and covers most of the country. Because the country has an unstable geography and many of its mountains have been deforested, flash floods are one of the most serious threats it faces. Some areas in the country have also received the highest levels of rainfall ever recorded in the history of the country.
The government has issued a warning to the people living on the slopes of the biggest volcanic mountains that they might be in danger of possible mudslides.
Rescue and emergency efforts are underway throughout the country and are well experienced in tackling problems caused by big storms, but the huge volumes of water and thick mud have caused hurdles.
Read More: Ukraine set for power cuts after air-strikes
