Rescues underway in Philippines after storm

Workers waded through mud Wednesday searching for roughly 30 people still missing after Tropical Storm Megi pummeled the Philippines. More than 50 people have died and nearly 200 were injured in landslides and floods after three days of heavy rain. Intermittent rain is hampering relief and rescue efforts, and officials expect more to be reported missing in coming days.

What is the damage? Baybay in the central Leyte province was hit the hardest when landslides nearly covered the small city. Local authorities evacuated residents from the most dangerous areas before the storm, but the landslides spread farther than expected. In the nearby municipality of Abuyog, officials said storm surges destroyed nearly 80 percent of one village and flooded the other 20 percent of houses on the coast. In total, almost 600,000 people and nine regions on the eastern seaboard were affected, the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported.

Dig deeper: Read Rachel Lynn Aldrich’s report in The Sift on the deadly December typhoon that hit the Philippines.