Philippines landslides kill 70
MANILA, Philippines (Reuters) -- At least 70 people were killed when they were buried alive in two landslides triggered by six days of heavy rains in the Philippines, officials said on Saturday.
The Office of Civil Defense said 80 houses were destroyed.
Dozens of people were injured and the death toll was expected to rise, said Rosette Lerias, governor of the province.
"We experienced unusually heavy rains during the last six days," she told Reuters. "The rains triggered the landslides."
Lerias said rescue work was hampered by minor landslides that blocked the only roads leading to the disaster area.
The two towns are on a small island off the main Leyte island. Officials said there was no power in the affected areas.
Leyte province was the scene of the famous sea battle between U.S. and Japanese forces during the Second World War.
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