Rescue teams were today (November 14th) battling to save stranded residents after Typhoon Vamco caused severe flooding in Cagayan province in the Philippines.

The storm - which has so far killed at least 53 people - has left the country but rainwater has submerged thousands of acres of crops, residential, and commercial buildings at the tip of Luzon island.

Aerial footage from a rescue helicopter shows the Rio Grande de Cagayan, the longest stream in the country’s biggest mainland, which has overflowed and covered surrounding land in muddy floodwaters.

Rescue operations are still ongoing but the death toll from Typhoon Vamco, also known as Ulysses, has already reached 53 with 20 still missing.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Vamco was a Category Two typhoon and made a ‘signal 3’ warning, with signal 5 being the highest.

They warned of ‘’heavy damage to high-risk structures’’ and ‘’increasing damage to old, dilapidated residential structures, and houses of light materials.”

The agency said there would be ‘’widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services''.

The storm comes just over a week after Typhoon Goni, also known as Typhoon Rolly, killed 74 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Philippines when it made landfall on November 1.

Rescue teams were today battling to save stranded residents after Typhoon Vamco caused severe floods in Cagayan province, the Philippines.

The storm - which has so far killed at least 53 people - has left the country but rainwater has submerged thousands of acres of crops, residential, and commercial buildings at the tip of Luzon island.

Aerial footage from a rescue helicopter shows the Rio Grande de Cagayan, the longest stream in the country’s biggest mainland, which has overflowed and covered surrounding land in muddy floodwaters.

Rescue operations are still ongoing but the death toll from Typhoon Vamco, also known as Ulysses, has already reached 53 with 20 still missing.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Vamco was a Category Two typhoon and made a ‘signal 3’ warning, with signal 5 being the highest.

They warned of ‘’heavy damage to high-risk structures’’ and ‘’increasing damage to old, dilapidated residential structures, and houses of light materials.”
The agency said there would be ‘’widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services''.

The storm comes just over a week after Typhoon Goni, also known as Typhoon Rolly, killed 74 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Philippines when it made landfall on November 1.