Philippine Floods, Landslides Kill 652 in 2011’s Worst Storm
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Tropical Storm Washi, the most-devastating cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, killed at least 652 people, according to the Red Cross. With hundreds still unaccounted for, the death toll is likely to rise.
Washi pummeled northern Mindanao, which is unaccustomed to cyclones, overflowing rivers and flooding coastal cities at the early hours of Dec. 17 while people were asleep. The storm dumped 181 millimeters of rain per hour compared to the 25 millimeters per hour typical in the region, said Benito Ramos, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense. Local governments didn’t carry out preemptive evacuations even after warnings of flooding and landslides, he said.