Philippines again left to count the cost of brutal weather as death toll from Typhoon Melor rises to 11
Millions of people were also without power in the eastern Philippines and the central islands, with no guarantees electricity would be restored before Christmas.
Rescuers on speedboats hauled rain-soaked residents off rooftops in the Philippine countryside on Wednesday after Typhoon Melor killed at least 11 people and cut power for millions.
The typhoon, which tore in off the Pacific Ocean on Monday afternoon, caused widespread flooding across central islands and also dumped heavy rain on the sprawling capital of Manila.
The worst appeared to be over on Wednesday with the typhoon drifting into the South China Sea. But farming and fishing communities on Mindoro island south of Manila were still enduring heavy flooding.
Floodwaters rose sharply across parts of Mindoro on Tuesday night, forcing residents to climb onto the roofs of their homes, according to Alfonso Umali, governor of Oriental Mindoro province on the eastern half of the island which has a total population of 1.2 million.
The floods have begun to subside but there are still people on their roofs. Many homes were damaged
“The floods have begun to subside but there are still people on their roofs. Many homes were damaged. We are going to the areas on board the coast guard’s rubber boats today,” Umali said on DZMM radio.