Philippines Christmas floods kill 6 people
Manila, Dec 26 (EFE) – At least six people have died, three injured and 19 remain missing amid severe floods that hit several regions of southern and eastern Philippines over the weekend, the natural disasters agency said Monday.
In its latest update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said some 44,700 people have been forced to evacuate their homes and over 100,000 residents across the country were affected by the floods, especially in the southern island of Mindanao.
In the Misamis Oriental region of Northern Mindanao — one of the most affected areas — civil defense members rescued more than 176 people during the weekend, according to data from the Red Cross.
Heavy rains were announced on Saturday by the Meteorological Service in the Philippines in the regions of Visayas (central-east), Mindanao (south), and Palawan (southwest).
The disaster cast a shadow over Christmas celebrations in the nation, home to Asia’s largest Catholic population.
The Philippines, which is hit every year by between 15 and 20 cyclones, is ranked among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change.
Experts point to shantytowns as the country’s main vulnerability, where natural disasters cause large numbers of deaths, highlighting the poor state of infrastructure. EFE
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