Tropical storm Roke has killed at least seven people after battering the eastern and central Philippines, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Friday. Four of the fatalities drowned when a motorboat capsized due to huge waves off the port of Ormoc City in Leyte province, 570 kilometers southeast of Manila. One person was still missing from the mishap, the OCD said. In nearby Tanuan town, a four-year-old girl died after being hit by a fallen tree. In the province of Cebu, a 72-year-old woman and a five-year-old girl were also killed when they were hit by fallen trees in separate accidents on Thursday, the OCD added. Roke, which has since weakened to a tropical depression, capsized two other boats in Leyte but all passengers were rescued, the coast guard said. The OCD said that based on initial assessments, Roke has caused an estimated 9 million pesos (166,000 dollars) worth of damages to crop, infrastructure and livestock.
