4 dead, 6 missing in floods and landslides in Philippines

TIL Desk/World/Manila/ A tropical depression dumped heavy rain on the Philippines today, flooding metropolitan Manila and nearby provinces and causing landslides and flash floods that killed at least four people.

Six others were missing, including five residents of Laguna province, where floods swept away a house next to a swollen river, disaster relief officials said. The other missing person was reported in nearby Cavite province, where several areas were submerged. Financial markets, government offices and schools were closed and at least 21 flights were canceled or diverted.

The weather bureau said Tropical Depression Maring made landfall in eastern Quezon province today morning and was moving northwest with winds of 60 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 100 kilometers per hour. It warned that continued moderate to heavy rain in Manila and nearby provinces along the storm’s path could trigger more floods and landslides.

Disaster response official Elmer Espiritu said two brothers aged 14 and 17 died when a landslide covered their home at the foot of a hill before dawn in Taytay town near Manila. Officials ordered mandatory evacuations in risky areas after some residents refused to leave, he added.