Flooding and multiple landslides in a southern Philippines province killed at least 42 people, CNN Philippines cited a senior government official as saying, as rescuers searched for missing residents.

A heavy downpour caused by an approaching tropical storm caused floods and landslides that affected several municipalities in Maguindanao province, Naguib Sinarimbo, interior minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao, said on Friday.

Sinarimbo said rescue operations are ongoing for people who are missing, but he could not say how many. He said the weather on Friday was slightly improved after incessant rain on Thursday night.

(With input from Reuters)