Monday, September 16, 2024

Pregnant woman among 14 killed after Tropical Storm Yagi triggers landslides

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A pregnant woman is among at least 14 people killed after a tropical storm hit the Philippines.

Tropical Storm Yagi swept across the northern tourist city of Antipolo overnight, triggering flooding and landslides.

At least three people in the city have been killed, including the pregnant woman who died in a landslide, while four others drowned and four are missing after their house was swept away by flooding.

Two schoolboys were also killed in Antipolo after a landslide hit two houses, Relly Bernardo, the city’s disaster management chief, said.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration said Yagi brought winds of up to 85kph (53mph), with gusts reaching 105kph (65mph), as it continued to move northwest on Luzon, the Philippines’ biggest and most populous island.

Capital city Manila was shut down for a second day on Tuesday, with a government order closing schools and issuing instructions for workers to stay at home.

Locals created a makeshift float as they crossed a flooded street (Picture: AP)
The Coastguard are conducting rescue missions (Picture: Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)/AFP)
Two girls play atop sand bags outside a shop (Picture: Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Flooded streets are littered with debris (Picture: Ted ALJIBE/AFP)

The storm, known as Tropical Storm Enteng locally, is currently in the South China Sea and is expected to grow in strength as it approaches China.

Thousands of travellers were stranded on Monday after several flights and sea travel were suspended.

A ship anchored in Manila Bay, the Kamilla, was hit by another vessel that veered out of control due to rough waves, damaging the bridge and resulting in the boat catching fire.

The Philippine Coast Guard said all but one member of the crew were rescued by a passing tugboat with the other managing to swim to safety.

Roughly 20 typhoons and storms hit the Philippines each year, with the nation considered one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.

On top of monsoon seasons and frequent typhoons, the Filipino archipelago sits within the Ring of Fire around the edge of the Pacific Ocean that traces boundaries between several tectonic plates.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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