MANILA: Philippine rescue workers battled floodwaters on Friday (Oct 25) to reach residents still trapped on the roofs of their homes as Tropical Storm Trami moved out to sea after killing at least 40 people.
Tens of thousands remained displaced after fleeing floods driven by a torrential downpour that dumped two months’ worth of rainfall in just two days in some areas.
“Many are still trapped on the roofs of their homes and asking for help,” Andre Dizon, police director for the hard-hit Bicol region, told AFP. “We are hoping that the floods will subside today, since the rain has stopped.”
He added that a shortage of rubber boats was “the greatest challenge” but that more were on their way.
As Trami departed the Philippines in the early hours, traveling west over the South China Sea, the storm’s death toll swelled as fresh reports of victims emerged.
In Batangas province south of the capital Manila, police staff sergeant Nelson Cabuso told AFP six unidentified bodies had been found in Sampaloc village.
“The area was hit by a flash flood yesterday. Our people are still in the area to check if there are other casualties,” he said.
Many areas of the province remained inaccessible to search and rescue teams, local media reported.
Another five people were killed in a flash flood in the coastal village of Subic Ilaya, police corporal Alvin de Leon said.
While Manila was seemingly spared the kind of heavy flooding that accompanied Typhoon Gaemi in July, AFP reporters on Friday saw a subdivision south of the capital that was largely submerged.
