Homeowners in northern Philippines used spades and rakes to clear debris left by Tropical Storm Trami on Friday, while rescuers sifted through thick mud searching for missing individuals as the death toll rose to 76.
Tens of thousands were displaced by floods caused by a torrential downpour that dropped two months’ worth of rain in just two days in some areas.
“Many are still trapped on the roofs of their homes and asking for help,” reported Andre Dizon, police director for the heavily affected Bicol region. “We hope the floods will subside today now that the rain has stopped.”
However, accessibility remained a significant challenge for rescuers, particularly in Bicol, as President Ferdinand Marcos noted. “That’s the problem we’re facing in Bicol; it’s so difficult to penetrate,” he said, explaining that the saturated ground led to landslides in previously stable areas.
In Laurel, a picturesque town near volcanic Lake Taal south of Manila, AFP reporters observed roads blocked by fallen trees, vehicles half-submerged in mud, and homes severely damaged by flash floods.
“We saw washing machines, cars, home equipment, and roofs being swept away,” said Mimie Dionela, 56. “We’re fortunate the rain fell during the day; many would have died if it had happened at night. It was indescribably terrifying.”
Islao Malabanan, 63, expressed relief at surviving due to the daytime flooding but lamented losing everything, including their clothes.
Jona Maulion, who started an auto repair business in Laurel less than a year ago, questioned how her family could afford to start over. “We thought we were on the path to success, and now everything is gone,” the 47-year-old said.
As Trami moved away from the Philippines early Friday, heading west over the South China Sea, reports of fatalities continued to emerge. In Batangas province, south of Manila, the confirmed death toll had reached 43, according to provincial police chief Jacinto Malinao.
Laurel and nearby towns Talisay and Agoncillo accounted for most of the deaths, with 16 others reported missing in Talisay. “The greatest challenge here is the thick mud, with debris and boulders making access difficult,” Malinao stated. “Hopefully, no rain in the coming days will help us find the bodies quickly.”
In the Bicol region, police reported 29 deaths, with four additional bodies found elsewhere. President Marcos acknowledged that the cities of Naga and Legazpi reported “many casualties, but we haven’t been able to access them yet.”
Government offices and schools across Luzon remained closed, although storm surge warnings were lifted along the west coast as Trami moved further out to sea.
State weather agency specialist Jofren Habaluyas reported that Batangas province received “two months’ worth of rain,” totaling 391.3 millimeters, on October 24 and 25.
An official tally late Thursday noted nearly 320,000 people evacuated due to flooding that transformed streets into rivers and buried some towns in volcanic sediment.
In Naga City and Nabua municipality, rescuers used boats to reach residents stranded on rooftops, many of whom requested help via Facebook. Meanwhile, the search for a missing fisherman whose boat sank in Bulacan province was suspended Friday due to strong currents, according to the local disaster office.
The Philippines typically experiences about 20 major storms and typhoons annually, damaging infrastructure and claiming lives. A recent study indicated that storms in the Asia-Pacific region are forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly, and persisting longer over land due to climate change.
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