President Ferdinand Marcos reported on Saturday that ongoing rescue efforts continue in the wake of catastrophic flooding and landslides caused by a powerful storm in the Philippines. Many regions remain isolated as emergency teams work tirelessly to reach those affected.
After inspecting the hardest-hit areas southeast of Manila, Marcos noted that the storm had unleashed unprecedented rainfall, with some regions experiencing one to two months’ worth of precipitation in just 24 hours. “The water was just too much,” he said.
Despite ongoing rescue operations, many areas are still inaccessible to large vehicles. Marcos announced plans for a major flood control initiative aimed at addressing the escalating threats posed by climate change.
The storm, named Trami, moved away from northwestern Philippines on Friday, resulting in at least 85 confirmed deaths and 41 individuals reported missing. The government’s disaster-response agency has warned that the death toll may rise as reports emerge from previously unreachable areas.
Rescue teams, including police, firefighters, and emergency personnel equipped with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs, continue their efforts in Talisay, Batangas province. Among those affected is a father anxiously awaiting news of his missing 14-year-old daughter, who was devastated as rescuers recovered the remains of another victim.
In the local community center, more than a dozen white coffins lined up, holding the remains of individuals recovered from the mudslides that struck Talisay’s Sampaloc village.
Over five million people were in the storm’s path, with nearly half a million seeking refuge in over 6,300 emergency shelters across several provinces.
During an emergency Cabinet meeting, Marcos expressed concern over predictions from weather forecasters that the storm, the 11th to impact the Philippines this year, could potentially return next week due to high-pressure winds in the South China Sea. If it continues on its current path, it may affect Vietnam over the weekend.
In response to the storm, schools and government offices have been closed for three consecutive days to ensure public safety, and inter-island ferry services have been suspended, leaving many stranded.
As weather conditions improved in several regions on Saturday, clean-up efforts began. The Philippines typically endures around 20 storms and typhoons annually, and the devastation from Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which resulted in over 7,300 deaths or missing persons, remains fresh in the nation’s memory.
