Thousands were stranded and evacuated in different cities in central and southern Philippines as floods triggered by incessant rains swamped Visayas and Mindanao islands.
Heavy rains swamped parts of the Visayas and Northern Mindanao due to a low pressure area (LPA) near Eastern Samar and a tail-end of a cold front, causing massive floods in several areas.
Thousands were stranded in schools, offices and roads on Monday in Cagayan de Oro city and parts of Misamis Oriental after the two weather disturbances triggered flooding from the incessant heavy rains.
Forced evacuation was also implemented in the villages of Tumpagon, Pigsag-an, Lumbia, Tuburan, Pagalungan, Sansimon, Iponan, Blua, Pagatpat, Canitoan and the residents near Iponan River.
Rescue teams have been deployed to assist stranded commuters.
Major shopping malls such as Limketkai Center, Centrio Mall and SM also extended their operating hours to provide refuge to stranded civilians.
A state of calamity in the city was declared by local officials early Tuesday.
As of midday Tuesday, the state weather bureau said that moderate to occasionally heavy rains were still expected over Visayas and Northern Mindanao and Caraga due to a tail-end of a cold front.
The LPA last spotted east northeast of Zamboanga has dissipated, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.
