Days of heavy rain leave at least 16 dead in Philippines

MANILA: Floods, landslides and accidents driven by a nine-day downpour equivalent to more than a month's worth of rain in some areas have killed at least 16 people in the northern Philippines, rescuers said on Monday (Aug 10).The rains, exacerbated by tropical storms, have led to school and government office closures across the main island of Luzon and flooding in the streets of the capital Manila.Seven of the deaths occurred in the resort of Baguio, as a rain-drenched mountainside collapsed on three houses, city rescuer Esther Banawe told AFP. Three people remain unaccounted for."Rescue efforts are continuing, but they are doing it manually because of the heavy rain," she said, adding that work was being supervised by a designated safety officer for fear of further landslides. Rescuers si