Typhoons leave 55 dead, Filipinos trapped on roofs

Residents of Calumpit, Bulacan were submerged by water caused by yyphoon ‘Pedring.’ INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Back-to-back typhoons have left at least 55 people dead and rescuers scrambling to deliver food and water to hundreds of villagers marooned on rooftops for four days by floods in the northern Philippines.

Typhoon ‘Quiel’ (international name: Nalgae) blew into Isabela province Saturday then barrelled across the main Luzon Island’s mountainous north and agricultural plains that were still sodden from fierce rain and wind unleashed by a howler just days earlier.

Philippine officials said Quiel left at least three people dead Saturday while typhoon Pedring (international name: Nesat) killed 52 others in the same region before blowing out Friday.

Benito Ramos of the Office of Civil Defense said hundreds of villagers remained trapped on rooftops Sunday in a flooded town north of Manila.