Student dies in flash floods

SULTAN KUDARAT, Ma­uindanao, Philippines – A third-year high school student drowned while more than 10,000 villagers were again forced to evacuate as flash floods, spawned by heavy rains, struck a dozen low-lying villages here yesterday.

Sultan Kudarat Mayor Bai Idang Mastura said the fatality, Jeng-Jeng Laure, was trying to cross a flooded street when swept away by rampaging floodwaters.

Worst hit by the flash floods were the adjoining districts of Bulalo, Calzada, Torres, Juliano, and Barhaman, home to more than 10,000 Muslim and Christian villagers. – John Unson