Landslides kill 181 in north Philippines

A series of landslides triggered by heavy rains killed at least 181 people in mountainous provinces of the northern Philippines, officials said on Friday.

The number of confirmed deaths, across three provinces in the Cordillera region, rose sharply from 91 dead listed earlier in the day by police.

A total of 120 people were confirmed dead in Benguet province alone as landslides struck on Thursday night and Friday morning in five towns, said provincial governor Nestor Fongwan.

In the mountain resort city of Baguio, 38 people were killed and one person was missing as landslides buried houses in different parts of the city, said city Mayor Reynaldo Bautista.

A landslide also left 23 dead in Mountain Province with 20 dead in one town alone, said provincial governor Maximo Dalog.

The northern Philippines has been pounded by heavy rains since Typhoon Parma hit the country on Saturday.

Parma weakened into a tropical depression but has lingered over the north of the Philippines' main island of Luzon.