Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Telegraph
The Telegraph
Science
Simina Mistreanu

Rescuers dig for survivors after storm Megi brings landslides to Philippines

A general view shows damages after a landslide caused by tropical storm Megi, that hit Philippines' eastern and southern coasts, in Baybay city, eastern province of Leyte, Philippines - AS YOU WISH PHOTOGRAPHY /via REUTERS
A general view shows damages after a landslide caused by tropical storm Megi, that hit Philippines' eastern and southern coasts, in Baybay city, eastern province of Leyte, Philippines - AS YOU WISH PHOTOGRAPHY /via REUTERS

The death toll from the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year rose to 42 on Tuesday, as local officials blamed climate change after a storm of such severity struck during the dry season.

Rescuers, hampered by mud and rain, have been using their bare hands to search for survivors after landslides smashed into villages in the central Philippines.

Tens of thousands of people fled their homes as the storm pummelled the disaster-prone region in recent days, flooding houses, severing roads and knocking out power.

"It's supposed to be the dry season but maybe climate change has upended that," said Marissa Miguel Cano, public information officer for Baybay City, where 10 villages have been affected by landslides. 

A member of the Philippine Coast Guard carries a young girl as they walk on a flooded road, after the tropical storm Megi hit, in Leyte Province, Philippines - PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD /via REUTERS
A member of the Philippine Coast Guard carries a young girl as they walk on a flooded road, after the tropical storm Megi hit, in Leyte Province, Philippines - PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD /via REUTERS

Cano said the hilly region of corn, rice and coconut farms was prone to landslides, but they were usually small and not fatal.

In the hardest-hit province of Leyte, 36 people died and 26 were missing due to landslides, according to local authorities. Some houses were shown buried in mud up to the rooftops.

Daniel Racaza, 26, lives in the nearby village of Kantagnos, which an official said had been hit by two landslides. He was asleep when an avalanche of mud and water swept over the riverside community.

He managed to escape with his boyfriend and 16 relatives, but an aunt was caught in the torrent.

"I only managed to save my cellphone and we have nothing to go back to," Racaza told Agence France-Presse.

Rescue personnel assist a woman onto a raft amidst flooding, after the tropical storm Megi hit - PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD /via REUTERS
Rescue personnel assist a woman onto a raft amidst flooding, after the tropical storm Megi hit - PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD /via REUTERS

The storm made landfall on Sunday, with winds of up to 65 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 80 kilometres per hour.

The storm forced dozens of ports to suspend operations and stranded almost 6,000 people at the start of one of the busiest travel periods of the year – the Easter holidays.

Besides booming domestic travel, the Philippines also reopened to fully vaccinated tourists from most countries in February, after lifting most coronavirus-related restrictions.

A general view shows damages after a landslide caused by tropical storm Megi, that hit Philippines' eastern and southern coasts, in Baybay city, eastern province of Leyte, Philippines - AS YOU WISH PHOTOGRAPHY/via REUTERS
A general view shows damages after a landslide caused by tropical storm Megi, that hit Philippines' eastern and southern coasts, in Baybay city, eastern province of Leyte, Philippines - AS YOU WISH PHOTOGRAPHY/via REUTERS

Tropical storm Megi is the first to hit the disaster-prone country this year. In December, Typhoon Rai ravaged large parts of the nation, killing more than 400 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

The Philippines, which has been ranked one of the hardest-impacted countries by climate change, sees an average of 20 storms annually. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest storm to have ever made landfall, leaving more than 7,300 people dead or missing.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.