At least 24 people dead as tropical storm batters Philippines

People are ferried on a rubber boat after being rescued from their roofs where they stayed to avoid high floods caused by Tropical Storm Trami (Michelle Ricasio via AP)

Widespread flooding and landslides set off by a tropical storm in the Philippines left at least 24 people dead, swept away cars and prompted authorities to scramble for motorboats to rescue trapped villagers.

The government shut down schools and offices — except those urgently needed for disaster response — for the second day on the entire main island of Luzon to protect millions of people after Tropical Storm Trami slammed into the country’s northeastern province of Isabela after midnight.