Philippines typhoon toll hits 81, expected to rise

Manila, Philippines - The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Mangkhut has climbed to 81 and could hit triple digits as searchers dig through a landslide where dozens are presumed dead, authorities said.

Mangkhut swamped farm fields in the nation’s agricultural north and smashed houses when it tore through at the weekend with violent winds and heavy rains.

Since then the toll has climbed mostly due to the corpses recov- ered from the massive landslide in the mining town of Itogon where dozens are still believed buried under the mud.

‘From the list I saw 59 people are still missing (at Itogon),” Ricardo Jalad, civil defence chief, said. “If you add that to those already recovered it’s possible the toll could top 100.” The typhoon, the most powerful to strike this year, also battered Hong Kong and killed four in China’s southern province of Guangdong.