Death toll from landslides and floods due to storm Kompasu hits 40 in Philippines

MANILA, Oct 17 (dpa): The death toll from landslides and floods caused by storm Kompasu in the Philippines has risen to 40, with 18 still missing, the national disaster agency said on Sunday.

More than 43,000 people were displaced by Kompasu’s onslaught last week, while at least 7,399 houses were damaged, the agency said.

The northern province of Ilocos Sur reported the highest number of dead at 14, most from flash floods, while five were still missing there.

Nine were killed in the nearby province of Benguet, mostly in landslides, while seven died from landslides, electrocution and drowning in the province of Pangasinan.

Five drowned in floods in the western province of Palawan, while five died in the northern provinces of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and La Union.

Damage to agriculture and infrastructure was estimated at more than 3.22 billion pesos (64.5 million dollars), the disaster agency said.

The Philippine archipelago is hit by an average of 20 tropical cyclones every year.

The strongest typhoon ever to hit the Philippines was Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people and displaced more than 4 million in November 2013. - dpa