Philippines death toll rises to 150, deforestation blamed

As further rain was predicted in some of the hardest-hit areas, disaster officials said Thursday that the death toll from a severe storm that caused flooding and landslides across the Philippines had reached 150.

Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae battered large portions of the archipelago nation late last week and over the weekend, displacing more than 355,400 people from their homes.
 
On the southern island of Mindanao, in the Bangsamoro area, where communities were devastated by flash floods and landslides, 63 of the 150 casualties reported by the national disaster agency occurred.

According to the government, 36 individuals are still missing nationwide and at least 128 people were injured. There is no chance of discovering further survivors, according to the authorities.

Bangsamoro disaster services were ready for the prospect of more catastrophe in the underdeveloped and hilly province with more rain predicted for Thursday.
 
Naguib Sinarimbo, the regional civil defense chief said "The soil is still wet in areas where flash floods and landslides occurred so further erosion could be instantly triggered," adding that "waterways and rivers that were in the path of the flash floods are blocked by debris and boulders so they could easily overflow."  
 
The deadly landslides in Bangsamoro have been attributed to deforestation and climate change according President Ferdinand Marcos.

He has pleaded with the local government to grow trees on barren slopes.
 
"That's one thing that we need to do," Marcos told a briefing this week "We have been hearing this over and over again, but we still continue cutting trees. That's what happens, landslides like that happen."   
 
Read more: Death toll hits 72 as tropical storm Nalgae slams into Philippines