Richel V. Umel/Reuters
At least 133 people were reported dead Saturday after a tropical storm battered the southern Philippines. Rescue workers have recovered dozens of bodies from overflowing rivers on the island of Mindanao, with recovery efforts involving police, soldiers, and volunteers. Authorities said Tropical Storm Tembin hit the area so hard several homes were swept away by floodwaters. “The river rose and most of the homes were swept away. The village is no longer there,” police officer Gerry Parami was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse about one town hit hardest. In another area ravaged by the storm, authorities said residents failed to evacuate despite warnings of flash floods and mudslides. “The people received ample warnings. But as we are rarely hit by typhoons, people living near rivers did not take them seriously,” Salvador police chief Wilson Mislores said.