The death toll from recent floods and landslides across the Philippines has risen to 51.

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Authorities have swung into action, distributing food packs to the hardest hit communities.

According to the National Disaster Agency, rescuers are currently searching for 19 people still missing more than a week after heavy rain pounded central and southern regions over the Christmas weekend.

Instead of enjoying the Christmas holiday, more than 270,000 people reportedly had to seek emergency shelter as downpours inundated rural villages, left more than 4,500 houses damaged or destroyed, and wiped out over 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres) of crops.

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Thousands of families have found themselves cleaning up their homes and shops after the waters subsided.

Most of the fatalities have been in the province of Misamis Occidental, on the southern island of Mindanao, where 19 people died from drowning or rain-induced landslides.

The Philippines is currently ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change.

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