By DPA
Manila : The death toll in flash floods and landslides in the Philippines rose to 32 with 10 more people missing, the government said Sunday.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council said most of the fatalities were from the impoverished province of Eastern Samar, 630 km southeast of Manila, where several towns have been submerged by floodwaters.
More than 4,000 houses have been totally or partially damaged in at least nine provinces, and the government estimated the damage to agriculture and infrastructure to reach 1.04 billion pesos ($25.67 million).
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited Eastern Samar Saturday to oversee the distribution of the relief goods and the rehabilitation of the province.
The weather bureau said continuous heavy rains that triggered the floods and land slides were cause by a low-pressure system.