Manila braces for Tropical Storm Nalgae that has hit the Philippines, killing dozens and causing devastation

• 45 people have been reported dead so far since Tropical Storm Nalgae hit the Philippines.
• The tropical storm is expected to hit the capital of Manila on Saturday, a BBC report said.

Tropical Storm Nalgae hit the Philippines on Friday, causing floods and landslides. So far, 45 people are believed to be dead, with many more injured.

Heavy rain began on Thursday with strong winds hitting highs of 59 mph, the state weather agency said.

Local officials have revised the latest death toll since an initial report of 72 deaths, The Guardian reported.

Naguib Sinarimbo, the spokesperson and civil-defense chief for the southern region, said, "When we consolidated the reports at 6 a.m. today, we realized there were only 40 dead, 31 injured, and 15 missing."

The storm is expected to hit the capital of Manila on Saturday. High levels of destruction have already been seen in Maguindanao province on Mindanao island, a BBC report said.

Reuters said Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered urgent aid distribution, including fresh drinking water and purifying systems, stating a particular need for the Maguindanao province, which Nalgae has hit hard.

"We could have done better in Maguindanao in terms of preparing," Marcos said in a briefing with disaster officials.

Tropical Storm Nalgae has forced almost 170,000 people out of their homes, Reuters reported, adding that it's believed that a third of these people were in evacuation shelters.

The disaster has caused chaos in the air and on the ground, with Reuters reporting that airlines have canceled 116 domestic and international flights.

The Philippines see around 20 major storms every year, per The Guardian, but extreme weather is becoming more destructive due to the climate crisis, the report said.