At least nine persons dead, several trapped by floods in Philippines

Torrential rain triggered by an impending tropical storm caused severe flooding in the eastern Philippines, killing at least nine people, trapping others on their roofs, and sparking desperate calls for assistance, officials said Wednesday.

To safeguard millions of people as Tropical Storm Trami approached from the Pacific, the government closed all public schools and government offices on the entire major island of Luzon, with the exception of those urgently needed for disaster response.

Before the storm made impact on the northeastern Philippine coast, at least nine persons were killed in five northeastern provinces and Naga, a hard-hit city.

The majority of the deaths were caused by drowning and landslides, according to police and local officials, who also reported that approximately seven people were missing.

Since Tuesday, coast guard officers have been rescuing inhabitants from flooded communities in the eastern provinces of Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and outlying regions, but provincial officials have stated that the quantity of rescue boats and men is insufficient.

The storm was last tracked about 175 kilometers (109 miles) east of Echague town in the province of Isabela. It had strengthened with sustained winds of 95 kph (59 mph) per hour and gusts of up to 115 kph (71 mph).

The storm was forecast to hit Isabela’s coast Wednesday night to early Thursday, then barrel across northern Luzon before exiting to the South China Sea late Thursday.

According to state forecasters, its vast rain belt could drop up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rains in one day of heavy downpours in the most vulnerable areas on its path.

Thousands of villagers have fled to emergency shelters in the northeastern provinces.

Storm warnings were issued in more than 30 northern and central provinces, including the heavily populated capital of Manila, which was not in the storm’s direct path but might be hit by its torrential rains.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. canceled all of his meetings Wednesday and called an emergency meeting to address disaster relief operations, Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez announced.

During the meeting, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the military’s aircraft and ships would be used for evacuations and disaster response. He said additional airlift power could be provided by friendly countries, including Singapore, if needed.

Thousands of passengers and cargo workers were stranded in several seaports after the coast guard said it suspended inter-island ferry services and barred fishing boats from venturing into the increasingly rough seas.

About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. The archipelago also lies in the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a region along most of the Pacific Ocean rim where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur, making the Southeast Asian nation one of the world’s most disaster-prone.