Floods in the Philippines kill 51; more missing

At least 8,600 people were in emergency shelters Monday after floods devastated the Philippines over Christmas. At least 51 people have died and 19 are missing. Now, people are trying to get the mud out of their houses and repair the damage. More than 4,500 homes have been damaged, and many places are still without power and water.

Are the floods subsiding? The northern part of the country bore the brunt of the flooding and reported 25 deaths, but floodwaters have subsided in most places. The government said it sent aid and deployed heavy equipment to clear debris left by the flood. The Philippines endures about 20 typhoons and storms each year. It also sits on the Pacific Ocean’s rim, where volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are common.

Dig deeper: Listen to Onize Ohikere’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about major flooding in Pakistan.