At least 126 dead and missing as Tropical Storm Trami batters the Philippines

The death toll is expected to rise as more reports come in from previously unreachable regions.

Dozens of police, firefighters, and other emergency personnel, supported by three backhoes and sniffer dogs, are involved in search and rescue operations.

President Ferdinand Marcos, who inspected a severely affected area southeast of Manila on Saturday, stated that the unusually large volume of rainfall brought by the storm — some regions receiving one to two months’ worth of rain within just 24 hours — had overwhelmed flood controls in the provinces affected by Trami.

“The water was just too much,” Marcos told reporters. “We’re not done yet with our rescue efforts,” he added. “The challenge we face is that there are still many areas that remain flooded and cannot be accessed even by large trucks.”

He also mentioned that his administration would plan to initiate a major flood control project to address the unprecedented threats posed by climate change.

More than 4.2 million people were in the path of the storm, with nearly half a million primarily taking refuge in over 6,400 emergency shelters across several provinces, according to the government agency.

The Philippine government closed schools and government offices for a third day on Friday to ensure the safety of millions on the main northern island of Luzon. Inter-island ferry services were also suspended, stranding thousands of people.

Each year, approximately 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines, which is located between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones, resulted in over 7,300 deaths or missing persons and obliterated entire villages.