Page 11 - Philippines

Nearly 100 dead, dozens missing in storm-ravaged Philippines: Official

Nearly 100 people have died in one of the most destructive storms to lash the Philippines this year with dozens more feared missing after villagers fled in the wrong direction and got buried in a boulder-laden mud slide, while more than a million others were swamped by floodwater in several provinces, officials said Monday. At least 53 of 98 people who died mostly in flooding and landslides were from Maguindanao in the Bangsamoro autonomous region, which was swamped by unusually heavy rains set off by Tropical Storm Nalgae. The storm blew out of the country and into the South China Sea on Sunday, leaving a trail of destruction in a large swath of the archipelago. A large contingent of rescuers with bulldozers and backhoes resumed retrieval work in southern Kusiong village in the hard-hit province of Maguindanao, where as many as 80 to 100 people, including entire families, are feared to have been buried by a boulder-laden mudslide or swept away by flash floods that started overnig

47 dead, dozens feared missing as storm lashes parts of Philippines

Flash floods and landslides set off by torrential rains left at least 47 people dead, including in a hard-hit southern Philippine province, where as many as 60 villagers are feared missing and buried in a deluge of rainwater, mud, rocks and trees, officials said Saturday. At least 42 people were swept away by rampaging floodwaters and drowned or were hit by debris-filled mudslides in three towns in Maguindanao province from Thursday night to early Friday, said Naguib Sinarimbo, the interior minister for a five-province Muslim autonomous region run by former separatist guerrillas. Five other people died elsewhere from the onslaught of Tropical Storm Nalgae, which slammed into the eastern province of Camarines Sur early Saturday, the government's disaster-response agency said. But the worst storm impact so far was a mudslide laden with rainwater, rocks and trees that buried dozens of houses with as many as 60 people in the tribal village of Kusiong in Maguindanao's Datu Odin Sinsuat .

Strong earthquake injures dozens in northern Philippines, shuts airport

A strong earthquake rocked a large swathe of the northern Philippines, injuring at least 26 people and forcing the closure of an international airport and the evacuation of patients in a hospital, officials said Wednesday. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Tuesday night's magnitude 6.4 quake, which was set off by movement in a local fault, was centred 9 km (5 miles) northwest of Lagayan town in Abra province at a depth of 11 km (7 miles). The US Tsunami Warning System said no warning or advisory was issued. The quake was felt across a wide area of the main northern Luzon region, including in some parts of metropolitan Manila, more than 400 km (248 miles) south of Abra. At least 26 people were injured in Ilocos Norte, the home province of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, where the international airport in the capital city of Laoag was ordered to close temporarily Wednesday due to damage from the quake, police and civil aviation officials said. In Batac city

6.7-magnitude earthquake hits northern Philippines; damage expected

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 jolted northern Philippines on Tuesday night, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, adding that it might cause damage.

Russia asks Philippines to honour purchase deal of 16 military helicopters

Russia wants the Philippine government to honour a signed contract to purchase 16 military heavy-lift helicopters, which the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte had cancelled due to fears of possible US sanctions. Moscow's ambassador to Manila, Marat Pavlov, told reporters on Wednesday night that the Philippine government has not officially notified Russia of its decision to cancel the deal and a Russian company was proceeding to manufacture the Mi-17 helicopters after the Philippines made an initial payment. Filipino pilots, who would operate the helicopters, have undergone Russian training, he said. The Russian aircraft manufacturer was ready to deliver one of the helicopters in June but unfortunately, it was not accepted by your government, the ambassador said. We are ready to fulfill all our obligations as a reliable partner of the Philippine side in the field of technical military cooperation and we consider that it will also be done by the Philippines, Pavlov .

Typhoon Noru leaves 5 dead; causes floods, power outages in Philippines

Typhoon Noru blew out of the northern Philippines on Monday, leaving five rescuers dead, causing floods and power outages and forcing officials to suspend classes and government work in the capital and outlying provinces. The most powerful typhoon to hit the country this year slammed into the coast in Burdeos town in Quezon province before nightfall on Sunday then weakened as it barrelled overnight across the main Luzon region, where thousands of people were moved to emergency shelters, some forcibly, officials said. Governor Daniel Fernando of Bulacan province, north of Manila, said five rescuers, who were using a boat to help residents trapped in floodwaters, were hit by a collapsed wall then apparently drowned in the rampaging waters. They were living heroes who were helping save the lives of our countrymen amid this calamity, Fernando told DZMM radio network. This is really very sad. On Polillo island in northeastern Quezon province, a man was injured after falling off the roof

Philippines on red alert, braces up for super typhoon Noru: Report

Authorities in the Philippines were on high alert as Noru began to blast through the country's eastern islands on a path toward its main Luzon island, reported CNN.

Powerful typhoon headed for Philippines strengthens; prompts evacuations

A powerful typhoon shifted and strengthened in an explosive intensification on Sunday, prompting evacuations from high-risk villages as it approached the northeastern Philippines where it might sideswipe the capital, officials said. Typhoon Noru was swirling at sea about 175 kilometres (110 miles) east of Infanta town in Quezon province with sustained winds of 195 kilometres (121 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph) at midday. Forecasters expect it to smash into the coast later on Sunday. While blowing toward the archipelago, Noru shifted southward as it was pushed down by a high-pressure area to its north. It gained considerable strength from a storm that had sustained winds of 85 kph (53 mph) on Saturday to a super typhoon just 24 hours after in an explosive intensification at sea, Vicente Malano, who heads the country's weather agency, told The Associated Press. Thousands of villagers were evacuated, some forcibly, from the typhoon's path, as well as from ...

Philippine president to focus on food, energy, climate change at UNGA

Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos left for New York to participate in the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, with his priority focus on food security, energy and climate change

GMR Group to divest entire 40% stake in Philippines' Cebu airport

GMR Group on Friday said it will divest its entire 40 per cent stake in Cebu international airport in Philippines for an upfront payment of Rs 1,330 crore as well as earnouts to be received over a period of more than four years. The airport is being operated by GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) and GMR Airports International BV (GAIBV) holds a 40 per cent stake in the venture. A definitive agreement has been signed between GMR Airports International BV (GAIBV) and Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc (AIC) for the divestment of stake in Cebu airport. AIC is the infrastructure arm of the Philippines-based Aboitiz Group. According to a regulatory filing, the stake is being divested as part of the focus on deleveraging GMR Airports Ltd and churning assets for higher returns on investment. "The transaction will be undertaken at an enterprise value of PhP 49.7 billion (INR 70.5 billion) and GAIBV will receive an upfront amount of PhP 9.4 billion (INR 13.3 billion) in lieu of the shares

Delivery of BrahMos missile to Philippines expected in 2023: Reports

The joint Indian-Russian enterprise was named after the rivers of Brahmaputra and Moscow

Philippines: More than 80 people rescued from ferry fire in Manila

Philippine coast guard personnel and volunteers have rescued more than 80 passengers and crew of an inter-island ferry that caught fire as it approached a port south of Manila, prompting many to jump into the water as flames spread fast in windy weather, officials said Saturday. Only two passengers are unaccounted for and authorities are checking if the two are missing or had been rescued but immediately went home without notifying officials who led the search efforts Friday, the coast guard said. The M/V Asia Philippines was listed as carrying 49 passengers and 38 crewmembers. The ferry, which came from Calapan city in Oriental Mindoro province, was more than a kilometer away from the Batangas port, when smoke emerged from the second deck followed by flames, according to one of the rescued passengers. The ferry's proximity to the port allowed the rapid rescue of the victims even after nightfall by coast guard vessels and nearby ships, motor bancas and tugboats. One ship helped the

3 killed, 4 injured in Philippines as tropical cyclone Ma-on intensifies

The Philippine government said tropical cyclone Ma-on that battered the main Luzon island this week killed at least three people and injured four others

Antony Blinken affirms 'extraordinary' ties between US, Philippines

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the new Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr that ties between the two countries were "extraordinary" during a visit to Manila

PM Modi, Philippines prez Ferdinand Marcos review bilateral ties progress

Prime Minister Modi reiterated the important role that the Philippines plays in India's Act East Policy and its Indo-Pacific Vision, and expressed the desire to further expand bilateral relations.

7.3 earthquake hits north Philippines, causes damage, people flee buildings

A strong earthquake shook the northern Philippines, causing some damage and prompting people to flee buildings in the capital. Officials said no casualties were immediately reported

Dictator's son Ferdinand Marcos Jr taking oath as Philippine president

Activists and survivors of the martial law-era under his father plan protests timed to Marcos Jr.'s inauguration at the steps of the National Museum in Manila

Magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolts Philippines, no casualties reported so far

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, the quake, which occurred at 5:50 a.m., hit at a depth of 132 km, about 21-km northwest of Calatagan town

Marcos, son of strongman, poised for Philippines election triumph

The count makes almost certain a previously unthinkable return to power of the Marcos family, 36 years after its humiliating retreat into exile

5.9-magnitude earthquake jolts Philippines; aftershocks expected

The quake, which occurred at 9.23 a.m. local time, hit at a depth of 49 kms, about 54 kms southeast of Manay town in the province