Death toll climbs as Storm Nalgae batters Philippines and makes landfall

The death toll continued to climb in the Philippines, after Storm Nalgae slammed into the country early on Saturday.

Flash floods and landslides have killed dozens of people, with the country’s disaster agency saying the southern provinces suffered the brunt of the impact.

Intensifying into a Severe Tropical Storm, Nalgae was packing maximum sustained winds of 59 miles per hour, and whipping up gusts of up to 99 miles an hour, when it made landfall in the northeastern Catanduanes island province.

Weather officials warned Nalgae would bring heavy rains over the capital region and nearby provinces, as it cut through the main Luzon island and headed towards the South China Sea.