Philippines Death Toll From Tropical Storm Nalgae Revised to 45

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescuers evacuate residents from their flooded homes due to a tropical storm, locally named Paeng, in Maguindanao Province, Philippines, on Oct. 28, 2022. (Philippine Coast Guard/Handout via Reuters)

At least 45 people were killed in flash floods and landslides in the Philippines, and several others are feared missing as tropical storm Nalgae hit the country’s southern provinces early on Saturday, officials said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) initially reported 72 deaths but later revised the number to 45, citing an overcount by local authorities, the state-run news agency reported.

“This was the result of the validation being conducted by BARMM [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao] and with other agencies on the ground,” NDRRMC spokesperson Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro said.

Alejandro said that Maguindanao province was the most affected with 40 fatalities, while three were killed in South Cotabato and another two in Capiz.

At least 33 people were injured, and 18 others were feared buried in mud and flood waters. Authorities said that more than 97,200 families were affected by the tropical storm and disaster relief efforts are still ongoing in affected areas.

“So far, we have monitored 194 areas that are still flooded. We have monitored 57 roads and 12 bridges that are not passable,” said Jose Faustino Jr., officer-in-charge for the National Defense Department.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Philippine Coast Guard had been deployed to conduct immediate evacuation and rescue operations in Visayas and Mindanao areas where floodwaters are rising.

“We prioritize the safety of the disabled, sick, and senior citizens in our operations and we also conduct medical check-ups at our evacuation centers,” Marcos said on Twitter.

The tropical storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers (59 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 160 kph (100 mph), made landfall in the eastern Catanduanes province on Saturday. It is expected to move west-northwest through Sunday across Luzon.

Landslides and floods are frequent in the Philippines, due in part to the growing intensity of tropical cyclones that regularly batter the country. The Philippines sees an average of 20 typhoons a year.

Earlier on Wednesday, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the northern Philippines, injuring at least 26 people. The quake was centered at 9 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Lagayan town in Abra province at a depth of 11 kilometers (7 miles), and generated over 400 aftershocks.

Reuters contributed to this report.