Flash flood alerts for parts of the Philippines by Susan Powell
Flood alerts were issued on Thursday for parts of the Philippines, against possible landslides and flash floods. Heavy rains and thunderstorms are forecast to hit southern Luzon, Mindanao and Visayas over the next two days. Only two weeks ago the southern islands were hit by typhoon Fengshen, with strong winds and heavy rain leaving more than 15 people dead. Over 110,000 residents were evacuated, and many have only just returned to their homes.
Rainfall is heaviest between August and October when much of it comes from tropical cyclones in the South China Sea. Most of the typhoons which hit the Philippines develop east of the islands and move westwards into the South China Sea. While flashes have been issued for many northern areas, elsewhere the weather looks set to remain stable over the coming days, with cloudy skies and only isolated thunderstorms.