MANILA, (Pakistan Point News - 30th Dec, 2018) Twenty-six people have been killed in landslides and floods caused by a tropical depression that brought heavy rains over the eastern Philippines, police and emergency officials said Sunday.
According to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, DPA, more than 22,000 people were also displaced by the landslides and floods in six provinces that bore the brunt of the rains.
Rescue teams were still searching for several missing in the affected areas, emergency officials said.
The weather bureau said the tropical depression, locally named Usman, has weakened into a low pressure area after making landfall, but warned that eastern and central provinces would continue to experience rains.
"A cold front and the north-east monsoon were also bringing bad weather over the capital and other parts of the country, which could dampen usually rowdy New Year's Eve celebrations,"added DPA.
Each year the Philippines is hit by an average of 20 cyclones causing floods, landslides and other accidents.
