Three dead in flooding, boat accident in S. Philippines

Davao City, Philippines, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) Three people were killed due to rough seas and heavy rains that swept southern Philippines, authorities said Wednesday.

The latest deaths occurred in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Davao del Sur, even as Tropical Storm Utor (local code: Labuyo) has exited the Philippines, leaving at least a dozen casualties. The country's southern region of Mindanao was largely unscathed by the typhoon.

A 60-year old farmer drowned after being swept by rain-induced floodwaters that submerged four villages of Matanao town, in Davao del Sur on Tuesday, police and disaster officials said.

In Surigao del Norte, 68-year old Dolores Montero and her eight- year old granddaughter also died after the pumpboat they were riding sank due to huge waves off the coast of Surigao City, said Superintendent Martin Gamba, regional police spokesperson. The boat's skipper, identified as Gilberto Anota, was able to swim and was rescued.

Authorities were now conducting a search and retrieval operation to locate the bodies of the victims.