Weather News

Philippines flood kills three

Three people have died in flooding caused by tropical storm Saola in the central Philippines.

Torrential rain brought on by the storm and the south-west monsoon have caused more flooding and landslides in the central and northern parts of the country.

Landslides have been reported in the mountainous Cordillera region while flood waters have swamped communities in the capital Manila and several nearby provinces.

Nearly 13,000 people were evacuated in Manila on Monday, with rain causing three major dams to spill over on Sunday night.

In the country's northern and central provinces, five ships have run aground with rescue operations ongoing to bring passengers ashore.

Over the weekend, rain blanketed most of the Philippines, forcing the cancellation of at least 15 domestic flights.

The storm was over the Philippine Sea by late afternoon Monday, 260 kilometres off the northernmost Batanes islands and heading slowly towards Taiwan.


- ABC

© ABC 2012

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