At Least 24 Killed in Philippines Landslides, Flooding

At least 24 people were killed in landslides and flooding across central and southern Philippines, authorities announced on Monday.

The flooding was caused by a storm that dumped heavy rain and disrupted travel, inundating fields, cutting off roads and knocking out power ahead of the Easter holidays.

The national disaster agency revealed that more than 13,000 people fled to emergency shelters as the tropical storm pounded the disaster-prone region on Sunday.

The landslides left 21 people dead in Baybay City in Leyte province, 599 kilometres south-east of Manila, where dozens of houses were buried in landslides, according to disaster officer Rhyse Austero.

In addition, another three people were killed on the main southern island of Mindanao.

Lieutenant Colonel Joemen Collado stated that the other victims were swept away by the raging floodwaters.

Photos on social media showed several houses in Bunga, one of Leyte province's affected villages, buried in mud up to the rooftops.

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