TERRA.WIRE
More than 27,000 displaced by floods in Philippines
MANILA, July 26 (AFP) Jul 26, 2006
More than 27,000 people in the Philippine capital Manila and in nearby suburbs and provinces have been displaced by floods due to heavy rains dumped by Typhoon Kaemi, officials said Wednesday.

Two people were also reported missing after being swept away by flood waters in suburban Quezon city and Bulacan province north of Manila, the civil defense office said.

Those displaced were from three suburban areas in Manila and 14 towns outside of the capital, it said.

However, only 5,535 of the 27,523 people affected by the floods were being taken care of in evacuation centers, while the rest were with relatives or friends.

Various roads in and around Manila remained flooded and not passable to light vehicles Wednesday after Kaemi dumped torrential rains over the past three days. Some areas are under 1.5 meters (five feet) of water, it said.

The state weather bureau said that while Kaemi was no longer in Philippine territory it "will continue to bring occasional monsoon rains over the western section of (the main island of) Luzon."