Severe tropical storm Opong leaves 14 dead, affects 1.2 million Filipinos

Severe tropical storm Opong has affected over 1.2 million Filipinos, causing at least 14 deaths and displacing hundreds of thousands of families.

In Masbate, Opong made landfall early Friday, damaging a church and its convent, as well as a school and nearby houses.

The overflow of a stream in Pinamarbuhan, Masbate was caused by fallen trees blocking its path.

In Quezon, up to 8,280 families sought shelter in evacuation centers as the storm battered villages.

The storm also toppled a tree in Atimonan and a power post in Mulanay, Quezon.

In Masbate, heavy rainfall and strong winds spawned by Opong destroyed two churches, with the Immaculate Conception Parish in Batuan also experiencing ceiling collapse.

Several churches in the Bicol region opened their doors to typhoon victims, with one in Bato, Camarines Sur converted into a temporary evacuation center.