Dozens killed in Philippines landslides and floods as tropical storm Megi hits

More than 17,000 people flee their homes as landslides engulf villages, cutting off roads and power

Rescuers hampered by mud and rain have used their bare hands and shovels to search for survivors of landslides that smashed into villages in the central Philippines, as the death toll from tropical storm Megi rose to 42.

More than 17,000 people fled their homes as the storm pummelled the disaster-prone region in recent days, flooding houses, severing roads and knocking out power.