Talisay : The death toll from Tropical Storm Trami in the Philippines has risen to nearly 130, with many areas still isolated and in need of rescue, the president stated on Saturday.
Trami left at least 85 dead and 41 missing after sweeping through northwestern regions, marking it as one of the year’s most severe storms. The disaster response agency anticipates further casualties as reports emerge from inaccessible areas.
Dozens of police, firefighters and other emergency personnel, backed by three backhoes and sniffer dogs, dug up one of the last two missing villagers in the lakeside town of Talisay in Batangas province Saturday, according to Reuters.
President Ferdinand Marcos inspected a hard-hit area southeast of Manila on Saturday, noting that unusually high rainfall, equalling up to two months’ worth in 24 hours, overwhelmed flood defences in regions impacted by Tropical Storm Trami.
Over 5 million people were affected, with nearly half a million seeking refuge in 6,300 emergency shelters.
During an emergency Cabinet meeting, Marcos raised concerns about the storm potentially reversing course next week due to high-pressure winds in the South China Sea, while it was also forecast to hit Vietnam over the weekend.
Schools, government offices, and inter-island ferry services in Luzon were closed for the third day on Friday, stranding thousands.
