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Utor claims 14 Filipino lives

Typhoon Utor gathered strength yesterday as it slowed down to batter the northern Philippines. At least 14 people were killed, including four buried in one of the landslides that briefly isolated Baguio city.

The weather front has a vast footprint that covered most of the archipelago.

Authorities issued alerts for 36 Philippine provinces, ranging from rain and strong winds in Manila to heavy storm warnings in the far north. Low-lying areas were inundated, and a tornado was reportedly sighted in San Jose, 180km south of Manila.

The Baguio area had been hit by 17 landslides by midday, blocking all four access roads. Four people were reported killed when a mudslide buried their mountainside house. A 3-month-old girl was rescued from another mudslide, but her 2-year-old sister was missing.

Power was out to 98 percent of the city as electrical lines snapped. More than 1,200 residents abandoned their homes as floodwaters rose neck deep in places.

One person drowned in Ilocos Norte Province while another was was electrocuted in Cagayan, relief officials said.

Another person drowned when a small inter-island ferry capsized in heavy seas in central Iloilo Province. The coast guard said it had rescued the boat's 31 other passengers and four crew.

The Bustus dam, about 50km north of Manila began overflowing yesterday morning, and two dams in Benguet Province -- Ambuklao and Binga -- were nearing capacity. Officials were considering releasing some of the water, which would cause flooding in nearby low-lying areas.

The Education Department canceled all classes in schools in Manila as torrential rains caused flash floods, disrupted electricity supplies and snarled road traffic.

Disaster officials were also on alert in areas surrounding Mayon volcano southeast of Manila, where residents were warned of rains that could mix with volcanic ash to create deadly mudflows.
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