Thousands displaced

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands fled flooded communities and swollen rivers in the Philippine capital and outlying provinces Saturday after days of torrential monsoon rains, which left at least one villager dead, officials said.

Officials said they struggled to open more emergency shelters to allow social distancing among the displaced residents and prevent evacuation camps from turning into epicenters of COVID-19 infections. In the hard-hit city of Marikina in the capital region, nearly 15,000 were evacuated as waters rose in a major river.

In the mountainous northern city of Baguio, a resident died Friday after the taxi she was riding in was hit by a falling tree, police said.