Manila: Eight people were killed and two remain missing as tropical storm Fengshen slammed the Philippines on Sunday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

According to Namibia Press Agency, OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo reported that five individuals were pinned to death by a fallen tree in the municipality of Pitogo in Quezon province, located southeast of Manila. Additionally, three others lost their lives in the central Philippines’ Western Visayas region.

“We are currently verifying and validating the initial reported eight deaths to determine whether their deaths were storm-related,” Castillo stated. He further indicated that search and rescue operations were underway for two individuals reported missing following a landslide in the municipality of Quezon in Bukidnon province, southern Philippines.

Fengshen has significantly impacted the country, affecting approximately 15,000 families, or around 30,000 individuals. Castillo noted that 22,000 people have been evacuated due to the storm. The severe weather conditions have resulted in floods and landslides in central and southern regions of the Philippines.

The state weather bureau has forecasted that Fengshen is expected to exit the Philippines by Monday morning. The Philippines typically experiences an average of 20 typhoons each year.