1st LD Writethru: At least 30 people reportedly killed in southern Philippine storm

MANILA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 people have been killed in tropical storm Tembin which caused heavy rains, floods, landslides in southern Philippines on Friday, disaster official and police said on Saturday.

Ricardo Jalad of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 15 people have been reported to have died in Salvador, Lanao del Norte, and many of those killed died in floods.

But he said the disaster agency is still validating the report.

Superintendent Lemuel Gonda of the northern Mindanao regional police said the police received reports that 19 people died in Lanao del Norte. Three were reported dead in Bukidnon and one in Iligan, Gonna said.

The NDRRMC main office in Manila has yet to issue an official statement of the casualties.

Saripada Pacasum, head of the Lanao del Sur provincial disaster agency, said on Friday that seven people had been killed in Lanao del Sur, including four in Madalum town, two in Wato and one in Tugaya.

Pacasum said four others are missing in those towns.

The storm, locally known as Vinta, made landfall in Cateel, Davao Oriental in southern Philippines in early hours on Friday.

According to state weather bureau PAGASA, the storm continued intensifying as it moved toward southern Palawan, packing maximum sustained winds of 80 km per hour near the center and gust up to 95 km per hour.

Tembin immediately followed tropical storm Kai-Tak, which brought deaths and ruins to Eastern Visayas last weekend. Enditem