Philippine rescuers navigated through chest-deep floodwaters on Wednesday to assist residents trapped by Tropical Storm Trami, which has prompted thousands to evacuate as it approaches the country's eastern coast. The storm's torrential rains have transformed streets into rivers, submerged entire villages, and buried some vehicles up to their door handles in volcanic sediment dislodged by the heavy rainfall.

At least 32,000 people had evacuated their homes in the northern Philippines, according to police, as the storm moved closer to the Southeast Asian country's main island of Luzon. In the Bicol region, approximately 400 kilometers southeast of the capital Manila, 'unexpectedly high' flooding was hindering rescue efforts, said police. 'We dispatched police rescue teams, but they struggled to access some areas due to the high flooding and strong currents,' regional police spokeswoman Luisa Calubaquib told AFP.

Trami's center was located 310 kilometers east of Aurora province with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour as of 8am (0000 GMT), according to the national weather agency. Photos verified by AFP depicted streets submerged by muddy floodwaters in Camarines Sur province's Bato municipality, with only the roofs of houses and convenience stores visible. 'It's becoming dangerous. We're awaiting rescuers,' resident Karen Tabagan told AFP. In Naga city, about 40 kilometers from Bato, half of the 600 villages were completely submerged by flooding.

During an emergency meeting of government agencies on Wednesday morning, President Ferdinand Marcos stated that 'the worst is yet to come.' 'I'm feeling a bit helpless because... all we can do is stay put, wait, hope, and pray that there is not too much damage and no casualties.' Families displaced from their homes in Bicol were staying at around 2,500 evacuation centers spread across the region. 'There was also a lahar flow in Albay due to the rains,' Calubaquib, the Bicol police spokeswoman, said, referring to the volcanic sediment flowing from the Philippines' renowned Mayon volcano. Approximately 20 major storms and typhoons impact the Philippines or its surrounding waters annually, causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure and resulting in numerous fatalities.

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