May 11, 2011
MANILA (AFP) - Tropical storm Aere left the Philippines on Wednesday after killing 24 people, the government said.
The storm was heading towards Japanese waters but had weakened after hitting the Philippines on Sunday, according to the Philippine weather bureau.
The death toll in the Philippines from Aere climbed from 15 to 24, the nation's disaster agency reported after gathering more complete information from remote provinces.
The Philippines is battered by an average of 20 storms or typhoons annually.
Hundreds of people die each year due to the storms, with many of the victims living in poor, coastal communities.
