Rescuers in the Philippines are searching for survivors of a storm that triggered floods and landslides and killed about 200 people, left scores missing and thousands homeless, most of whom apparently ignored warnings to move to safety.
Misery in the largely Christian Philippines was compounded by the death of at least 37 people in a shopping mall fire, officials said on Christmas Eve.
The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year and warnings are routinely issued, but the level of destruction wreaked by tropical storm Tembin on the southern island of Mindanao from late on Friday came as a surprise.
Police and disaster officials said they expected the toll of about 200 dead to rise with more fatalities likely to be discovered in remote farm communities and coastal areas, as rescuers reached them and restored communication and power links.
Disaster officials said 159 people were listed as missing while about 70,000 had been forced from their homes.
Soldiers and police joined emergency workers and volunteers to search for survivors and victims, clear debris and restore power and communications.
The storm was moving west on Sunday, over some outlying Philippine islands and the South China Sea towards southern Vietnam, at a speed of about 20 km/h.
It intensified into a typhoon with winds of 120 km/h as it moved out of the Philippine area of responsibility, the national meteorological agency said.
The United Nations was ready to help the Philippines, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
Pope Francis offered his prayers for the people of Mindanao while delivering his weekly blessing to a crowd on St Peter's Square at the Vatican.
Reuters
