Boat, battered by huge waves, rams houses in Zamboanga City

 The remains of a house damaged by huge waves in a coastal village in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. And workers wearing no safety harness take down a huge tarpaulin billboard in Zamboanga City on Monday, September 24, 2012, as typhoon ‘Jelawat’ batters the country.

(Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 23, 2012) – A transport vessel, battered by strong winds and huge waves, rammed a row of houses sitting on stilts in the southern Filipino port city of Zamboanga City, but there were no immediate reports of casualties, local officials said Monday.

Officials said at least two dozen houses were destroyed in Mariqui after the boat crashed on the seaside village. One boat worker said the vessel was anchored off the village when huge waves pushed the boat towards the houses.

He said the vessel was owned by the provincial government of Tawi-Tawi and carrying heavy equipment.

Heavy rains the past days submerged many villages in Zamboanga City, including the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur. Several towns were flooded and that many houses and schools had been affected by rampaging waters.

Government weather experts said the heavy rains would continue in the coming days and warned those living in mountain slopes and seaside villages and river banks to take extra precaution. (Mindanao Examiner. With a report from Ely Dumaboc)