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Tropical storm Kai-tak floods central Philippines

by Reuters
Saturday, 16 December 2017 09:22 GMT

ARCHIVE PHOTO. A man uses an umbrella to shield his friend from the rain while riding a motorcycle after strong winds and heavy rains brought on by Typhoon Hagupit battered Laiya town, San Juan city, Batangas province, south of Manila, December 9, 2014. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

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Heavy rains and large waves have stranded at least 11,000 people in various ports in the region of Visayas

MANILA, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Moderate to heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in central Philippines as tropical storm Kai-tak made landfall on Saturday afternoon, and may hit more areas while moving westward, the weather bureau said on Saturday.

Locally known as Urduja, Kai-tak was barreling through the eastern region of Visayas, hitting islands and coastal towns such as Tacloban City where Supertyphoon Haiyan claimed 8,000 lives in 2013.

Heavy rains and large waves have stranded at least 11,000 people in various ports in the region, according to the Philippine Coast Guard. More than 10,000 people have fled to evacuation centers, local media reported.

Disaster officials were verifying reports that three people, including a two-year-old boy, had been killed during the storm.

Several provinces were placed under storm warning signals, where heavy rains may persist, the weather bureau said.

Kai-tak was packing maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, with gustiness of up to 110 kph, after making landfall in the vicinity of San Policarpio in Eastern Samar.

(Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

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