The death toll from heavy rains and destructive landslides triggered by Typhoon Bavi in the Philippines has officially reached 17.
The natural disaster, which is considered one of the most powerful in the region in recent decades, caused huge masses of mud to flood settlements in the southern part of the country. According to the regional civil defense department, the island of Mindanao was the hardest hit, where 10 people died in one landslide in Sarangani province alone. At least ten more people remain missing, raising fears that the death toll could rise.
The Philippines' national weather agency PAGASA warned in its morning bulletin that although the eye of the typhoon is not directly passing over land, the storm's tail continues to strengthen the seasonal monsoon. This is generating dangerous amounts of rainfall and the risk of flash floods in several regions, including the capital Manila. Rescue teams on the ground are facing serious difficulties due to blocked roads and power outages. Meanwhile, Typhoon Bavi is heading north towards Taiwan and the coast of East China, where authorities have already begun mass evacuations of thousands of citizens.