There are over 430 people dead and many more left missing after Tropical Storm Washi hit the southern Philippines.
Continuous, torrential rain led to flash floods and burst river banks, which swept people into the sea whilst many were sleeping. Illigan and Cagayan de Oro were the two cities on the northern coast of Mindanao that were hit by this storm, which has left many homeless and searching for family members.
Reports from the Philippine National Red Cross Secretary say that 215 people were brought to funeral parlours in Cagayan de Oro, and 144 in Illigan.
Floods swamped a quarter of Illigan and at least 10 villages on its outskirts, causing disaster for all who live there.
There is also thought to be massive damage to Mindanao's agricultural sector.
The Philippines are struck by around 20 storms a year, but many take a more northerly path, avoiding the area recently hit. As a result Benito Ramos (Head of the National Disaster Rescue Agency) has suggested that the toll may have been so high because Mindanao residents are unaccustomed to catching the full force of these types of storms.
Tropical Storm Washi follows two Typhoons that hit in September, killing around 100 people in Luzon. It is also claimed to be worse than Tropical Storm Ketsana that hit Manila in 2009 killing just over 400 people.
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