Seventy-six deaths were reported on Cebu, where provincial spokesman Rhon Ramos said 35 bodies were recovered in the coastal town of Liloan.
On neighboring Negros Island, at least 12 people died after heavy rains triggered a slope collapse on Kanlaon volcano, sending a wave of volcanic mud into Canlaon city. Rescuers were searching for another 12 people.
Officials earlier confirmed at least 17 fatalities in other provinces, a tally that includes six soldiers killed when a military helicopter sent with aid to Cebu crashed.
Flooding caused the worst damage after torrents preceded the storm’s landfall. Cebu recorded 183 millimeters of rain in the 24 hours before impact, compared with a monthly average of 131 millimeters.
“We expected wind to be the greatest danger, but it’s the water that truly threatens people. It’s simply destructive,” Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said.
Authorities reported widespread destruction on Cebu, with many smaller buildings flattened and a thick layer of mud left behind as waters receded.
The disaster has stirred debate over funding for flood defenses. Baricuatro questioned why “nightmarish flash floods” occurred despite 27 billion pesos earmarked for prevention projects.
The Philippines is struck by about 20 typhoons a year. Last month, two back-to-back storms killed more than a dozen people, while a Sept. 30 earthquake in the country’s central region left dozens dead and injured.
(jh)
Source: AFP, Euronews, BBC