Floods, tornado displace hundreds in S. Philippines

Hundreds of families were affected by flood and a tornado triggered by monsoon rains in a southern Philippine province on Friday, disaster authorities said on Saturday.

No one was hurt in the incident but hundreds of residents from the villages of Polunuling, Panalian and Rubber in South Cotabato Province were forced to flee as strong winds damaged several houses.

At least 3 million pesos (65, 000 U.S. dollars) of agriculture and property were destroyed when a twister ravaged three villages in Tupi town, the provincial disaster office said.

In nearby Banga town, 12 houses were also destroyed when several hours of downpour burst the banks of a river there.

"Bridges were destroyed, some roads were flooded and impassable, " village official Edgar Embasado told local media.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (Pagasa) has warned the prevailing Intertropical Convergence Zone over the western and southern Philippines would bring heavy rains and frequent thunderstorms in these part of the archipelago.

Source: Xinhua