Floods displace 700 villagers in Philippine south

Flash flood victims in Kidapawan City line up for food on Tuesday. Torrential rain in Mindanao brought flash floods in Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat Monday night. INQUIRER/GEONARRI SOLMERANO

MANILA, Philippines — Two days of rain has flooded several villages and towns and forced nearly 700 people to flee their homes in the southern Philippines.

The head of the Philippines’ disaster response agency said Tuesday an unidentified man drowned in Glan town of Sarangani province.

Benito Ramos said parts of Sarangani, North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces were flooded Tuesday after two days of pounding rain set off by a brewing tropical storm. At least 680 people fled from their homes and were being sheltered in public gymnasiums.

Army troops and rescue teams are monitoring 17 flood-prone towns surrounding the sprawling Liguasan Marsh.

About 20 tropical storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year.