Severe weather including floods in the Philippines has left at least 17 people dead and a further 27 feared missing, according to disaster authorities.

Philippine Coast Guard rescue people from floods in Plaridel, Misamis Occidental, 26 December 2022. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard

The country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the combined effects of a Shear Line storm and a trough of low pressure caused widespread damages including floods and landslides over the last few days.

As of 27 December, the rain had triggered 338 incidents of flooding and 20 landslides across the regions of Mimaropa, Bicol Region (Region V), Western Visayas (Region VI), Eastern Visayas (Region VIII), Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX), Northern Mindanao (Region X), Northern Mindanao (Region X) and Bangsamoro (BARMM). A total of 186,459 people from 21 Provinces have been directly affected.

As many as 284 homes have been completely destroyed and a further 828 damaged. Over 100 evacuation centres housed 46,636 people displaced from their homes, mainly in Northern Mindanao (Region X) (41,720).

As of 27 December, NDRRMC reported 17 fatalities, 27 missing and 8 people injured. Many of those reported missing are fishermen who went to sea despite treacherous conditions.