Typhoon Conson’s death toll rises to 76 in Philippines

Bodies of fishermen lie on the street after being retrieved by authorities at Bataan province, west of Manila, Philippines. Photo: AP

Rescuers in the Philippines have plucked eight more bodies from the sea, bringing to 76 the number of people killed by Typhoon Conson, the government said Tuesday.

Air force helicopters and airplanes and coast guard vessels took advantage of better weather to scour the seas in search of 72 people still missing from Conson’s onslaught last week.

The eight new fatalities were found in waters off eastern provinces that were badly hit by Conson, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said.

Most of the 76 victims either drowned at sea and in swollen rivers or were hit by uprooted trees, toppled electric posts and other debris, the agency said.

Many of the missing people were fishermen who sailed before Conson made landfall last Tuesday.

The typhoon caused damage to infrastructure, agriculture and fisheries worth 189.57 million pesos (4 million dollars), the NDCC said.

Conson was the second cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, but the first to cut through the mainland. The Philippines is hit by about 20 typhoons every year.