Floods, landslides kill at least 20 people in southern Philippines

At least 20 people have died after days of torrential rains in parts of the southern Philippines, provincial disaster agencies said on Monday.

Thirteen people died in Davao de Oro province while two were missing, and seven people were killed in neighbouring Davao del Norte, disaster agency officials said.

A northeast monsoon and trough of a low-pressure area brought rains in southern Mindanao region from January 28 to Febraury 2, resulting in deadly floods and landslides, data from the national disaster agency show.

More than 812,000 persons were affected, of which around 85,000 people took shelter in evacuation centres, it added.

In mid-January, 18 people died due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in southern Philippines.