Floods leave many dead in Philippines as new storm approaches
Pastor Dale Morgan
Floods leave many dead in Philippines as new storm approaches*
by Staff Writers
Iloilo, Philippines (AFP) May 16, 2008
Many people were washed away by floodwaters and thousands are still in
evacuation centres in the central Philippines after days of heavy rains
pounded the area, officials said Friday.
A new tropical storm was also forming off the northern Philippines, the
government weather station said Friday.
The storm was not expected to hit the country until Sunday according to
weather officials.
Two women were washed away as they tried to cross a flooded bridge in
the central island of Negros earlier in the week, disaster control
officials said Friday.
More than 1,130 families were still housed in evacuation centres in
Iloilo City, near Negros where they fled to avoid rising waters earlier
this week, city hall officials said.
Although flood waters, which had reached waist-level earlier this week,
had receded by Friday, residents were still afraid to return home due to
fears that the approaching storm would bring new rain.
The storm was 400 kilometres (250 miles) northwest of the island of
Mindoro at 10:00 am (0200 GMT) Friday, moving northeast towards the main
island of Luzon, the weather station said.
Packing winds of up to 65 kilometres per hour, the storm was expected to
hit the northern Philippines Sunday, crossing the island as it moves
northeast.
The government weather station said the storm would bring heavy rains to
Luzon and some of the central islands in the coming days.