Flood Storm Leave 106 Deaths In Philippine

MANILA: Philippine officials say the number of dead and missing from Tropical Storm Ketsana has climbed to at least 106 people.

The storm set off the worst flooding in the Philippine capital and nearby provinces in more than 42 years.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said Sunday that army troops, police and civilian volunteers rescued more than 5,000 people — many of them nervously clinging to each other on roofs and on top of passenger buses after the storm struck the previous day.

The newly reported deaths included 12 villagers who died in a landslide in northern Pampanga province and nine others in Bulacan province, most of whom died by drowning.

Also, an army soldier and four militiamen drowned while trying to rescue villagers in southern Laguna province.