Tropical storm Yagi kills 10 in the Philippines: Floodwaters reach roofs
Ten people have died, and one person is missing due to tropical storm Yagi in the Philippines. Heavy rains caused landslides and floods, with water rising to chest level.
Authorities were forced to close schools and suspend operations at some government institutions. Additionally, domestic air traffic was disrupted, and sea transportation was suspended.
According to the Philippine Police, five of the victims were killed in landslides, four drowned, and one was electrocuted.
"The water reached halfway up the houses; in some areas, it reached the roofs," a local resident reported. "From 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM, the water continued rising, then began to recede as the rain weakened."
"In some streets, the floodwaters reached the roofs. Some people were trapped and climbed onto the roofs of their houses. We even put a ladder on our roof so we could escape if more floods occur," another resident added.
"It is difficult because of the strong currents. When trucks pass by on the road, we have to hold onto the railing to avoid being swept away by the water. We must be patient to get home. My child is alone, waiting for me," said a third local resident.
The Philippine meteorological office announced that storm Yagi brought strong winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour and will intensify by Wednesday.
The Philippines experiences an average of 20 tropical cyclones each year. The strongest storm to hit the Philippines was super typhoon Haiyan, which killed 6,300 people and displaced over four million in November 2013.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
