MANILA, Philippines — Heavy monsoon rains inundated wide areas of the northern Philippines, triggering flash floods and landslides that killed at least 12 people, including two French citizens and a Belgian who were touring Mount Pinatubo, officials said today.
Nine European and three South Korean tourists were traveling on the volcano Thursday when a landslide blocked their path, trapping one of their three vehicles, officials in northern Tarlac province said.
Three of the Europeans and their two Filipino guides were swept away by flash floods and their bodies were recovered today, said Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan of Capas township near the volcano. The rest of the tour group was rescued, he said.
Millions of tons of volcanic debris on Pinatubo’s slopes pose a constant danger during heavy rains.
The three dead Europeans were initially identified as French, but survivors later said two were French and the third was a Belgian, Catacutan said.
The Belgian Embassy said consular officers were checking the report.
The six European survivors — all French — were taken to a hospital in Tarlac city. One who had a fractured shoulder would be transferred to a Manila hospital, Catacutan said.
“They said the water suddenly rose and they were swept away by strong currents,” Tarlac Gov. Victor Yap said.
Pinatubo’s massive eruption in 1991 created a torquoise-colored crater lake that has become a major tourist attraction.
Rains also have battered Zambales province west of Manila in the foothills of Mount Pinatubo since Wednesday.
More than 1,000 residents of Botolan town sheltered overnight at a school after pounding rain opened a 65-foot breach in the Pinatubo dike, sending floodwaters as high as roofs, regional police Chief Leo Nilo dela Cruz said.
A local tribal chief, Carling Dumulot, estimated that 12,000 people had evacuated their homes. He said loosened trees carried by water and mud were slamming against houses and hindering evacuation efforts.
Three villages were under water, he said.
An air force helicopter plucked trapped people from trees and rooftops.
At least two people died in Botolan and surrounding areas, Zambales Gov. Amor Deloso said. The government closed all schools in the province and declared a state of emergency.
“Virtually all areas in the province have experienced flooding,” he said.
Police reported two other bodies had been recovered in Tarlac province.
Landslides in the northern Cordillera mountains killed three siblings aged 7 to 13 in Baguio city, said regional disaster agency chief Olive Luces. Their parents escaped, he said.
A landslide crashed today onto huts where 14 miners were resting at the foot of a mountain near Baguio. Nine were pulled out alive but five remained missing, including one swept away by a flooded creek, said army Capt. Christian Uy, who was helping in the rescue.
Six Chinese tourists from Hong Kong and four Filipino crewmen were rescued Thursday after their boat capsized in big waves off Verde Island south of Manila, said coast guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo.
Monsoon rains have saturated the mountainous northern Philippines, the central Visayas islands and the southern Mindanao region since last month.
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