The death toll in landslides and floods caused by this year's first tropical storm in the Philippines has risen to 172, with 110 people still missing, the national disaster agency said Sunday according to the dpa. Of the victims, 156 were from Leyte province, some 600 kilometres south-east of Manila, where landslides devastated communities in Baybay City and Abuyog town. At least 104 people were still missing in the two areas, the agency said. In other affected areas, 16 people were also killed mostly in floods caused by tropical storm Megi, which slammed into the country on April 10, it added. More than 2 million people in 30 provinces were affected by the storm, which forced more than 207,500 residents to flee their homes and stay in evacuation centre. Damage to agriculture, houses and public infrastructure was estimated at more than 257 million pesos (5 million dollars), the agency said.
