Philippines floods leave five dead

Five people have been killed in the Philippines and thousands have fled from floods in the country's north and central regions.

At least five people have died and more than 20,000 families have been affected by floods that have lashed the central and northern Philippines amid several days of heavy rainfall, authorities say.

In its bulletin on Sunday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that in addition to the five fatalities, a 57-year-old man has been missing since going fishing on August 8, while a 38-year-old man was injured in a landslide.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is managing 79 evacuation centres that are housing 3888 families, and providing aid to another 16,483 families, according to official data published by local news site Rappler.

Sources from the department said they have food packets ready for 196,626 families.

The country's weather bureau PAGASA on Sunday issued an alert warning of the possibility of floods and landslides in Manila and the provinces of Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Rizal, Tarlac and Zambales.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the government has ordered the military to collaborate in rescue and evacuation efforts.

Between 15 and 20 typhoons run over the Philippines every year during the rainy season, which normally begins in June and ends in November.