Philippines: Tropical storm Megi kill at least 167

In Phillipins, the death toll from a tropical storm has risen to over 167. Emergency crews are still trying to locate dozens of missing people. Tropical storm Megi brought torrential downpours to the country's central regions earlier this week, triggering landslides and severe flooding. Rescue operations have been hampered by rain and unstable soil. The authorities said, more than three lakh residents had been forced to evacuate . Villages around Baybay city in the central Leyte province were badly hit, with hillside avalanches and overflowing rivers.In one village, Pilar, about 80% of the houses were washed out to sea.The agency also reported deaths in the southern Davao region, Mindanao and in the central Negros Orientals province.

It was the first such storm of the year - the Philippines typically sees an average of 20 each year.The disaster comes as the country is still recovering from a typhoon that tore through its central islands in December, killing more than 400 people. Scientists say human-caused climate change has led to a greater intensity and power in tropical storms. The Philippines has experienced some of its most deadly storms since 2006.