Storm floods northern Philippine regions, including capital, disrupting schools, work and travel

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A slow-moving storm unleashed pounding rains that flooded many northern Philippine areas overnight into Monday, prompting authorities to suspend classes and government work in the capital region and warn thousands of residents to prepare to evacuate from flood-prone villages along a key river.

Tropical Storm Yagi was blowing over the coastal waters of Vinzons town in Camarines Norte province, southeast of Manila, on Monday with sustained winds of up to 75 kilometers (47 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph (56 mph), according to the weather bureau.

The storm, locally called Enteng, was moving northwestward at 10 kph (6 mph) near the eastern coast of the main northern region of Luzon, where the weather bureau warned of possible flash floods and landslides in mountainous provinces.

A resident died after being electrocuted in Naga city in eastern Camarines Sur province, where floodwaters swamped several communities, police said. Authorities were verifying if the death was weather-related.

Storm warnings were raised in a large swath of Luzon, the country’s most populous region, including in metropolitan Manila, where schools at all levels and most government work were suspended due to the stormy weather.

Along the crowded banks of Marikina River in the eastern fringes of the capital, a siren was sounded in the morning to warn thousands of residents to brace for evacuation in case the river water continues to rise and overflows due to heavy rains.

In Northern Samar province, coast guard personnel used a rope to evacuate 40 villagers on Sunday in two villages that were engulfed in waist-high floods, the coast guard said.

Sea travel was temporarily halted in several ports affected by the storm,