At least 126 people have died and 26 are missing in floods, landslides and other incidents caused by storm Usman as it passed through the Philippines at the end of last year, officials said on Sunday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Philippine agency that coordinates information during disasters, estimated the number of people affected at more than 675,000, with 75 injured. </s> Another tropical storm, this one called Usman has so far killed at least 22 people as it passed through several provinces. The storm has triggered floods and landslides forcing villagers to flee to safer areas. The death toll is expected to rise.

More than 6,600 people have been stranded in various locations, while Cebu Air and national carrier Philippine Airlines have cancelled many flights from December 27 to 29.

Authorities report that the storm has forced the evacuation of at least 17,000 people in the Bicol region in the southern areas of the main Luzon island. Three are reported dead in Albay province due to a landslide. Another seven more were killed in Masbate, most of them drowning. Six more deaths were reported from Sorsogon and Camarines Sur provinces.

Civil defence officials report at least 16 people are reported bead in Bicol while six others were killed in Eastern Visayas.

Government forecasters said Sunday that heavy rain would continue over the next 24 hours in the northern Philippines.

About 20 cyclones pass through disaster-prone Philippines each year. </s> Fifty-six people have been killed in landslides and floods in the eastern Philippines and 11 are still missing.

Fifty of the victims were killed in five provinces in the eastern region of Bicol, which bore the brunt of heavy rains brought by a tropical depression, authorities say.

Most victims died in landslides, including a family of three asleep when their house was buried in Legazpi City, 336 kilometres southeast of Manila, police said on Sunday.

Six people were drowned or were buried in landslides in the two provinces in the Eastern Visayas region, police said.

READ MORE:

* Family of four among the 28 dead after Typhoon Mangkhut lashes the Philippines

* Vietnam evacuates thousands as Typhoon Tembin leaves more than 160 dead in Philippines

* Storm in southern Philippines leaves at least 75 dead

More than 22,000 people have been displaced in six provinces.

A tropical depression weakened into a low pressure area after making landfall over the province of Eastern Smar on Saturday, and brought in heavy rains in the days before. </s> As search and retrieval operations continue, the number of deaths continues to rise

MANILA, Philippines – The number of people killed by Tropical Depression Usman rose to 61 on Sunday night, December 30, following massive landslides and floods triggered by heavy rain.

As of 8 pm on December 30, there were also 18 people recorded missing and 12 others who injured from the same regions.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the casualties come from Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas. They were also still validating reports.

Landslides had occurred in Albay on Saturday, December 29 and Friday, December 28, which left at least 12 dead as of Sunday.

Apart from this, landslides were also reported in Nato town, Camarines Sur. Ten bodies were recovered in the area.

In an updated report from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Disaster Response and Management Bureau (DRMB), 3,488 families or 13,469 persons were moved to 112 evacuation centers. The residents were from Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, the DSWD report also said 189 families or 939 individuals decided to stay with relatives and friends but were still being served by the agency.

So far, about P395,144 worth of aid has been provided by the DSWD to local government units. Emergency telecommunication equipment is also on standby if needed, the DSWD said.

According to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the low pressure area which used to be Tropical Depression Usman dumped large volumes of rainfall in parts of Luzon and the Visayas in just two days. (READ: How much rain did Tropical Depression Usman bring?)

Daet, Camarines Norte; Legazpi City, Albay; and Catarman, Northern Samar, had the most rain from Friday, December 28, to Saturday, December 29.

Heavy rains prompted local officials to declare a state of calamity in Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.

Usman left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, but the northeast monsoon or amihan is still affecting Luzon. – with reports from Sofia Tomacruz/Rappler.com </s> At least 126 people have died and 26 are missing in floods, landslides and other incidents caused by storm Usman as it passed through the Philippines at the end of last year, officials said on Sunday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Philippine agency that coordinates information during disasters, estimated the number of people affected at more than 675,000, with 75 injured.

Out of the total number of people affected, 58,000 remain in emergency shelters set up in the central and northern regions of the country which were most-severely affected. More than 9,500 homes were damaged.

The tropical storm made landfall in the central Philippines on Dec. 29.

Local authorities declared a state of calamity in Camarines Sur, a province in Bicol region, southeastern Luzon, and which has a population of almost 2 million.

The Philippines is hit by between 15 and 20 typhoons each year during the rainy season, which usually begins in May or June and ends in November or December. </s> The number of deaths continues to rise as search and retrieval operations are underway

MANILA, Philippines – The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) raised to 75 as of Tuesday, January 1, the number of fatalities of Tropical Depression Usman though it said they were still validating the deaths reported.

NDRRMC Spokesperson Edgar Posadas said majority of the casualties were from the Bicol region which was hit badly by landslides.

"The numbers when it comes to the reported deaths, these are still for verification and confirmation and therefore they are still unofficial as we are starting to get reports from the different regions," he said in an interview with ANC.

He added there were also 16 people reported missing as of Tuesday.

Data from NDRRMC showed the reported deaths come from Bicol region at 59, Eastern Visayas at 13, and 3 from other regions.

As search and rescue operations continued, officials retrieved more bodies from areas in Albay and Camarines Sur, which were hit badly by landslides.

The number of affected individuals also increased as there were 45,438 families or 191,597 persons affected as of Tuesday. The residents come from 457 barangays in Bicol region, Eastern Visayan, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa.

Posadas said the NDRRMC recorded a total of 69 houses damaged so far.

According to data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Usman, which later became a low pressure area, dumped large volumes of rainfall in parts of Luzon and the Visayas in just two days. (READ: How much rain did Tropical Depression Usman bring?)

Daet, Camarines Norte; Legazpi City, Albay; and Catarman, Northern Samar, had the most rain from Friday, December 28, to Saturday, December 29.

Heavy rains prompted local officials to declare a state of calamity in Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.

Usman left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, December 30. – with reports from Sofia Tomacruz/Rappler.com </s> Manila - At least 22 people have died due to landslides and flooding triggered by a tropical cyclone that brought heavy rains to the central Philippines, a disaster agency official said on Sunday. The people, including a three-year-old boy, were reported dead as of Sunday morning, said disaster agency spokesman Edgar Posadas, after a tropical cyclone barrelled through the eastern Visayas and Bicol regions on Saturday.

"The wind was not strong but it caused flooding and landslides," Posadas said.

The number of casualties could rise as rescue and retrieval operations continue. Local media have reported dozens missing or trapped by the landslides.

A regional office of the disaster agency said it was working to confirm the deaths of 38 people in the Bicol region, located south of the main island of Luzon.

Thousands of passengers were stranded at seaports, airports and bus terminals as dozens of inter-island trips were cancelled.

The tropical depression, which has since been downgraded to a low pressure area, left the Philippines on Sunday afternoon.

About 20 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines every year. </s> Most of the fatalities are in Albay, which was hit by landslides

MANILA, Philippines – Landslides and heavy rain triggered by Tropical Depresson Usman killed at least 35 people in the Bicol region as of Sunday, December 30, with majority of casualties coming from the two landslides which occurred in Albay.

Below is the breakdown of the number of deaths according to the Philippine National Police (PNP):

The PNP said 15 people remained missing in Albay, all of whom were being searched.

The National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council warned Albay residents Saturday of possible flooding and landslide. (LOOK: Heavy rain due to Usman floods Libon town)

According to PNP Bicol spokesperson Maria Calubaquib, a landslide occurred at about 9 pm on Saturday, December 29, in Barangay Sugod, Tiwi, Albay. Nine people died there.

Residents said a barangay kagawad in Sugod went around to tell residents to evacuate before dark fell. However, because a landslide had never happened in the area before, some residents did not heed the advice, the residents said.

Calubaquib said search and rescue operations were ongoing.

Meanwhile, an earlier landslide late Friday night, December 28 also occurred in Barangay San Fernando, Legazpi City. It left 3 people dead.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) the low pressure area (LPA) which used to be Tropical Depression Usman and the tail-end of a cold front are still bringing rain on Sunday.

PAGASA advised all areas affected by the LPA and the tail-end of a cold front to stay on alert for flash floods and landslides.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development likewise remained on standby for response to residents affected by Usman. – with reports from Rambo Talabong, Sofia Tomacruz, Rhadyz Barcia, and Mavic Conde/Rappler.com </s> CEBU CITY (PNA) – Six persons were killed by floods caused by tropical depression “Crising” Sunday morning in Danao City and Carmen town in northern Cebu, an official said.

Julius Regner, spokesman of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), said five persons were washed away by floodwaters in Carmen town, while one drowned in the flood in Danao City.



He said the floodwaters were caused by heavy rains spawned by the tropical depression.

Regner identified those killed in Carmen town as Rowena Asenicion, 38, and her children Joyed, 12, and Ivan, 10; Acena Laping, 51; and, Bens Ayan, 2.

The bodies of Asenicion and her children were found floating in Barangay Dawis Norte, about two kilometers from their house in Barangay Duwalog, Carmen.

Regner said rescuers were also searching for two more persons from Barangay Poblacion in Carmen.

Regner said floodwaters in Danao City also claimed the life of Benyang Manulat, 52.

The rains spawned by Crising started Saturday evening and ended Sunday morning.

Floods were also reported in other parts of Cebu, including the cities of Mandaue and Cebu, but there were no reports of any casualties.
At least 69 people are reported dead from flooding caused by Tropical Depression Usman in the Philippines.