All of us here at Forester Media express our condolences to those affected by the flooding in the Philippines. An unusual tropical storm with more than 12 hours of rain—dumping more precipitation than the region would typically receive in a month—caused flooding in Mindanao beginning last Friday, December 16.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 900 people are believed to have died, and many are still missing. About 88,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and thousands more were affected.
Landslides caused by Typhoon Washi have killed several people, but most died as a result of the flooding, which swept through coastal cities and villages. The port cities Iligan and Cagayan de Oro are among the worst affected areas. In Cagayan de Oro the municipal water facility was damaged by the storm, so drinking water is in short supply as well. This area of Mindanao is typically not badly affected by tropical storms and the severity of the damage was unexpected.