A powerful storm has triggered flooding and landslides in the Philippines, leaving at least thirteen people dead and ten others injured.
The storm made landfall on Monday in eastern Luzon island. Authorities say a landslide killed eight people in Rizal province, neighboring Manila. A pregnant woman and two boys were among the dead.
“The water was gushing here and on the other side of the street, it was rising close to the rooftops of houses,” said a resident of the province. “Some residents got trapped and had to escape by running along the roofs. We put a ladder on ours so people could climb down.”
The storm has affected more than 37,000 families in Luzon and the Visayas islands. The government has started distributing relief goods to hard-hit communities.
Government work and classes have been suspended in Manila and nearby areas.
The country’s weather officials expect the storm to move on toward southern China in the coming days.