The death toll from a tropical storm that hit the central Philippines on Christmas Day has risen to 20, with more than 20,000 others left homeless, the government said Sunday. More drowning victims as well as the body of an elderly man crushed by a fallen tree had been found on Panay island along with that of an electrocution victim, raising the number of dead by nine, the civil defence office said.
Four other people were missing after Tropical Storm Wukong hit the island on Tuesday, it said in an updated bulletin.
The government agency said Wukong wrecked about 5,000 houses, driving entire communities into government-run shelters.