Death toll from powerful typhoon in Philippines climbs to 12

Philippine Coast Guard personnel rescue residents after being inundated by floods caused by Typhoon Rai in Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines, December 16, 2021. Philippine Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS.

MANILA (Reuters) - The death toll from a typhoon that slammed into the Philippines rose to 12 on Friday, and its president feared it could climb further as authorities assess the devastation caused by one of the strongest tropical storms to hit the country this year.

President Rodrigo Duterte said he would visit battered central and southern areas on Saturday to see the extent of damage, as the government tried to figure out how much it could raise for the disaster response.