Overview: Tropical Storm Penha made landfall in Surigao del Sur late Thursday, bringing heavy rains, flooding and a landslide that killed four people in Cagayan de Oro. More than 6,000 residents were displaced, with about 5,800 moving to evacuation centers, and nearly 5,000 travelers and port workers were stranded at 94 seaports. Rescue operations continued in affected villages as Penha was forecast to weaken into a tropical depression while tracking northwest toward Palawan.
Tropical Storm Penha Triggers Deadly Landslide and Displaces Over 6,000 in Philippines
This handout provided by the Philippine Coast Guard shows rescuers wading along a flooded street as they try to locate trapped residents after Tropical Storm Penha hit Surigao city, at the province of Surigao del Sur, southeastern Philippines on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines (AP) — Tropical Storm Penha slammed into the southern Philippines late Thursday, triggering heavy rains, flooding and a landslide that killed four people and forced thousands from their homes, officials said Friday.
Impact
Penha made landfall in the southeastern province of Surigao del Sur and was last tracked near central Bohol around noon Friday with sustained winds of about 55 kph (34 mph) and gusts up to 70 kph (43 mph). The system carried a broad rain-and-wind band roughly 660 kilometers (410 miles) wide.
This handout photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard shows rescuers clearing roads from toppled trees after Tropical Storm Penha hit Surigao city, at the province of Surigao del Sur, southeastern Philippines on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Office of Civil Defense regional director Antonio Sugarol said a couple and two children died Thursday night when their shanty in a quarry area gave way in a landslide triggered by torrential rain in a village in southern Cagayan de Oro city. In nearby Iligan city, a resident called a radio network to plead for rescue from the second floor of her home as floodwaters rose and trapped her and three relatives; authorities said rescuers were en route.
Displacement and Disruption
More than 6,000 people were displaced by the storm, including roughly 5,800 who sought shelter in evacuation centers across southern and central provinces. Classes were suspended in many affected areas. The Philippine Coast Guard reported nearly 5,000 passengers and cargo workers stranded at 94 seaports after vessels were temporarily barred from sailing into rough seas.
This handout provided by the Philippine Coast Guard shows rescuers wading along flooded streets as they relocate residents to higher ground after Tropical Storm Penha hit Surigao city, at the province of Surigao del Sur, southeastern Philippines on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Response and Forecast
Rescue teams were operating in flooded villages, including Mahayahay and Tubod in Iligan city. Government forecaster Robert Badrina said Penha was expected to weaken into a tropical depression later Friday as it tracked northwest across central island provinces toward western Palawan.
"Rescuers are on the way," Sugarol told a distressed resident over the radio as operations continued.
Context
The Philippines is regularly affected by tropical storms and typhoons — about 20 systems each year — and is also prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
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