Floods, landslides kill 31 in Philippines

Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Nalji have caused flooding and landslides in two towns in Maguindanao province.

Floods and landslides have killed at least 31 people in the southern Philippines province of Maguindanao, a senior government official said.

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Interior and Local Government Minister Nagib Sinarimbo told Reuters by phone on Friday that heavy rains from the approaching Tropical Storm Nalji had caused flooding and landslides in two towns in Maguindanao province.

He said that due to the heavy rains, the city of Cotabato with 300,000 inhabitants was flooded and the surrounding rural towns were flooded; At night, the uprooted trees, rocks and mud flow down from the mountain.

He said 10 people died in the landslide in Datu Blasinsuat town and 7 others were missing in other areas. Rescuers recovered the bodies of 3 more people who were buried by landslides in the nearby town of Datu Odin Sinsuat. A disaster department official said that many people who had taken shelter on the roofs were trapped.

“Water started entering houses before dawn. This is the first time something like this has happened here,” said Sinarimbo.

He said that the rescuers rescued some people who took shelter on the roofs with rubber dinghies.

Sinarimbo said that although the water has receded in some areas, 90 percent of Katabato town is under water, and further flooding could occur in a few hours due to heavy rains upstream.

He said that the exact number of people who have been affected by the disaster has not yet been confirmed.

Heavy rains began on Thursday night in the backward Muslim-majority region. The country's state-owned meteorological office said from the capital Manila that tropical storm Nalji, which is further northeast, is causing heavy rains.