More than 100 people have been killed and dozens are missing after Tropical Storm Tembin triggered floods and landslides in the Philippines. The storm, known locally as Vinta, hit the southern island of Mindanao, bringing winds of 80 kilometres per hour and torrential rain on Saturday. At least 48 people were killed in the hard-hit provinces of Lanao del Norte, where floodwaters from a mountain swept away several houses and villagers.
Mayor Bong Edding of Zamboanga del Norte province's Sibuco town told The Associated Press that a search-and-rescue operation was ongoing after more than 30 people were swept away by flash floods in the fishing village of Anungan. Five bodies had already been recovered.
"The floodwaters from the mountain came down so fast and swept away people and houses," said Edding.
"It's really sad because Christmas is just a few days away, but these things happen beyond our control."
Rainfall totals from Tropical Storm Tembin are believed to be around 145 millimetres, which is not unusual for a storm in the Philippines. However, it hit a part of the country that is not prepared for such violent storms. Mindanao avoids the majority of the tropical systems because of its location. Tropical storms do not form within 5-degrees latitude of the equator. As Mindanao lies between 6 and 9-degrees north, on average it only gets hit once every 12 years.
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