Storm death toll climbs to 178 in Philippines, 111 more missing

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – The death toll from tropical storm Megi in the Philippines has risen to 178, authorities said on Wednesday.

At least 111 more people are still missing and eight have been injured, according to the national disaster agency.

Megi, known locally as Agaton, is the first cyclone to hit the Philippines, an archipelago nation of thousands of islands, this year.

Nearly 2.1 million people in 2,400 districts have been adversely affected since the storm made landfall last week, bringing heavy rainfall and triggering floods and landslides.

Some 760 houses have been destroyed and more than 10,500 partially damaged in eight regions, including Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Bangsamoro, daily Phil Star reported.

Over 176,000 people have been displaced, more than half of whom have been placed in 450 evacuation centers set up in affected regions.

Agricultural and infrastructural damage worth millions of dollars has been caused in these areas, with Western Visayas witnessing the worst crop damage, the report said.

Electricity supply has been restored in several areas but some 64 towns or cities are still without power, it added.