17,000 asked to evacuate as tropical storm threatens Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Local authorities in two southern provinces today ordered the preemptive evacuation of more than 17,000 people ahead of a looming storm.

More than 16,000 people have been asked to move to safer grounds as two river systems overflowed in Asuncion town in Davao del Norte province, as a low pressure area (LPA) dumped torrential rains in this largely agriculture province since Tuesday, said Romulo Tagalo, provincial disaster chief.

According to local disaster agency, about 1,650 individuals have been evacuated from the flooded areas in Davao del Norte province.

The LPA has since developed into a tropical depression codenamed Caloy Friday morning, and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted storm signal number 1 over the two provinces and ten other areas in southern Philippine island of Mindanao's Caraga and Davao regions.

In Compostela Valley province, hundreds of families in three towns where flooding and landslides are perennial problems have been advised to take precautious measures, such as relocation, against the possible heavy rains, said Raul Villocino, provincial disaster chief.

Last January, over 70 people died when tropical depression Lingling (local codename: Agaton) swept through the region, spawning flash floods and landslides.

The Philippines, being situated in the so-called Typhoon Belt between Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea, is visited by at least 20 storms every year.