Cargo ship runs aground as storm strikes near Philippines

A cargo ship carrying 20 crew members, nickel ore, and around 2,000 litres of diesel has run aground off the southern Philippine province of Surigao del Norte, the coastguard said on Tuesday. The cause was not immediately known, but the weather was rough in the area due to Typhoon Surigae, which brought winds that reached 195 km (121.17 miles) per hour, with its effects felt in many parts of the eastern Philippines. The coastguard said the crew of LCT Cebu Great Ocean were “nowhere to be found and allegedly missing” when the ship drifted and became grounded on the shore of Cantapoy in Malimono in Surigao del Norte on Monday afternoon. Search and rescue operations for the crew resumed on Tuesday morning after a temporary suspension due to poor visibility and rough seas. The core of Surigae was not expected to hit land. At least two people died, one was missing and another injured, mostly in communities hit by strong winds, while tens of thousands remain in evacuation centres, disaster officials said on Tuesday. The Philippines sees around 20 tropical storms annually.