Rains inundate more areas in Philippines; 40 die

MANILA, Philippines – Disaster officials say heavy monsoon rains drenching the eastern Philippines for two weeks have drowned seven more people, pushing the death toll to 40 with seven missing.

The government's national disaster council said Wednesday that two children aged 6 and a third aged 9 are among the victims of flash floods that hit Samar Island on Tuesday.

Eight other people were injured as floodwaters 10 foot (3 meters) high blocked highways, overflowed bridges, isolated towns and damaged hundreds of houses.

Over 1 million people have been affected by the floods in the northern, central and southern Philippines. Some 25,000 have sought shelter in evacuation centers, nearly half of them in Albay province in the central Bicol region.