Storm sets off floods and landslides in Philippines, leaving at least 14 dead

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A storm set off landslides and unleashed pounding rains that flooded many northern Philippine areas overnight into Monday, leaving at least 14 people dead and prompting authorities to suspend school classes and government work in the densely populated capital region.

Tropical Storm Yagi slammed into Casiguran town in the northeastern province of Aurora Monday afternoon and gained strength with sustained winds of 85 kilometers (53 miles) per hour and gusts of 105 kph (65 mph), according to the weather bureau.

The storm, locally called Enteng, gained speed and was moving northwestward at 20 kph (12 mph) toward the country’s northernmost provinces. It was forecast to strengthen further, possibly becoming a typhoon, before blowing away toward southern China in the next two days, the weather bureau said.

At least 14 people died, mostly due to landslides and drownings, officials said.

A landslide hit two small shanties on a hillside in Antipolo city on Monday in Rizal province just to the west of the capital, killing at least three people, including a pregnant woman. Four other villagers drowned in swollen creeks, Antipolo's disaster-mitigation officer Enrilito Bernardo Jr. told The Associated Press by telephone.

“The creeks overflowed and a part of the hillside gave in because of the heavy rains,” Bernardo said.

Four residents died in separate landslides in central Cebu city and Northern Samar province. Three others died in the eastern city of Naga — two by drowning and one due to electrocution, officials said.

Storm warnings were raised in a large swath of Luzon, the country’s most populous region, including in metropolitan Manila, where schools at all levels and most government work were suspended due to the storm.

Along the crowded banks of the Marikina River in the eastern fringes of the capital, a siren was sounded in the morning to warn thousands of residents to brace for evacuation in case the river water continues to rise and overflow due to heavy rains.

In the provinces of Cavite, south of Manila, and Northern Samar, in the country's central region, coast guard personnel used rubber boats and ropes to rescue and evacuate dozens of villagers who were engulfed in waist- to chest-high floods, the coast guard said.

Sea travel was temporarily halted in several ports affected by the storm, stranding more than 3,300 ferry passengers and cargo workers, and several domestic flights were suspended due to the stormy weather.

A training ship, M/V Kamilla — which was anchored off the Navotas port in the capital — was hit by another vessel that veered out of control due to strong waves. Kamilla's bridge was damaged and later caught fire, prompting its 18 cadets and crewmembers to abandon the ship, the Philippine coast guard said.

A passing tugboat rescued 17 of those who abandoned the ship and one swam to safety, the coast guard said.

Downpours have also caused water to rise to a near-spilling level in the Ipo dam in Bulacan province, north of Manila, prompting authorities to schedule a release of a minimal amount of water later Monday that they say would not endanger villages downstream.

About 20 typhoons and storms batter the Philippines each year. The archipelago lies in the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a region along most of the Pacific Ocean rim where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur, making the Southeast Asian nation one of the world’s most disaster-prone.

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones in the world, left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened entire villages, swept ships inland and displaced more than 5 million people in the central Philippines.

Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila and Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.

A resident wades along a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters hold tight as they cross a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Residents carry their belongings as they wade along a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Children ride on top of a truck to avoid floodwaters caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

A resident uses a laundry tub to protect him from rain as he wades along a flooded street caused by Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Commuters ride on top of a truck to avoid flood waters caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, locally called Enteng, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Residents use rubber paddles from a toy boat as they wade along a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi, on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers use a rubber boat as they evacuate residents to higher grounds following floods due to a tropical storm in Allen, Northern Samar province, Philippines Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers use a rubber boat as they evacuate residents to higher grounds following floods due to a tropical storm in Allen, Northern Samar province, Philippines Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers use a rubber boat as they evacuate residents to higher grounds following floods due to a tropical storm in Allen, Northern Samar province, Philippines Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, leading California to a 31-10 victory over San Diego State on Saturday night.

Jaivian Thomas ran for 169 yards, and Kadarius Calloway had a touchdown run to give the Golden Bears (3-0) three straight wins to open the season for the first time since 2019.

Cal overcame six sacks, 12 penalties, a missed field goal and three failed fourth downs to come away with the victory.

“We all got to learn how to win,” coach Justin Wilcox said. “The team has to learn how to win. The program has to learn how to win. Doing all those little things matters. It just has to be the standard for how you operate. You just can’t play that uneven and expect to sustain success because it will come back and bite you. So we got to demand it from the players and then they have to demand it from themselves.”

The Bears defense did the rest, keeping the Aztecs (1-2) out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. Cal has held all three opponents to 14 points or fewer after giving up 32.8 points per game last season.

The Bears broke open a tight game in the third quarter with Thomas' 57-yard run setting up Calloway's 7-yard touchdown and Mendoza's 20-yard TD pass to Corey Dyches capping a 90-yard drive.

Mendoza added a 15-yard TD pass to Nyziah Hunter in the fourth quarter, giving him four TDs in three games this season .

“That’s just a testament to his hard work, his dedication, and just his overall buy-in in the process,” Mendoza said. “I’m extremely proud of him and we got to keep it going.”

The Aztecs, coming off a shutout loss to Oregon State, had no answers with Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson making his first career start at quarterback in place of the injured Danny O’Neil.

Tupou’ata-Johnson went 13 for 29 for 156 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Cal got stopped twice on fourth-and-1 tries in the second quarter but San Diego State was unable to take advantage. The Aztecs were forced to punt after taking over in Bears territory after stuffing the first try.

Tanu Letuli then had an interception on the second that appeared to go for a pick-6 before being called back for an illegal block. San Diego State then converted a fake punt but had to punt after another fourth-down conversion was called back for holding.

The Bears led 7-3 at the half behind an 8-yard TD run from Mendoza before breaking the game open in the third quarter.

“There was no rhythm,” Wilcox said. “We made it really hard on ourselves. Then in the third quarter, obviously offense picked it up, got some scores, which was great. We created some momentum.”

The Cal students got their own team in trouble by repeatedly throwing cards used for card stunts on the field despite several warnings. The Bears were penalized twice for it in the third quarter with one coming on a kickoff and the other giving the Aztecs a first down.

That prompted Wilcox to borrow the referee's microphone to plead with the fans to stop.

“Fans, we love you. Stop throwing the cards on the field,” Wilcox told the crowd. “That's two 15-yard penalties. Please stop throwing the cards on the field.”

San Diego State: The penalty problem for the Aztecs went beyond the two that negated the big plays following fourth-down stops. San Diego State's 13 penalties in the first half were tied for the most in any half for an FBS team in the last 10 seasons. The Aztecs finished with 15 penalties for 120 yards.

California: The Bears were missing injured star running back Jaydn Ott, who has been limited by an ankle injury early this season and had just 60 yards on 24 carries the first two games. Ott warmed up before the game but didn't play. Cal will likely need a healthy Ott once the conference schedule starts next week.

San Diego State: Visits Central Michigan on Sept. 28.

California: Visits Florida State on Saturday in its first conference game since joining the ACC.

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San Diego State running back Marquez Cooper (15) leaps over California defensive back Lu-Magia Hearns III (21) during the first half an NCAA college football game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)