Manila, Oct 27 (IANS) At least three people were killed and 13 others reported missing as typhoon Molave slammed the Philippines, triggering flash floods and widespread destruction, a disaster agency official said on Tuesday.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) spokesperson Mark Timbal said that the three fatalities were caused due to drowning, Xinhua news agency reported.

Timbal added that 10 of the 13 who went missing are fishermen.

The other missing people comprised two locals and a crew member.

Typhoon Molave, which already left the Philippines on Tuesday morning, affected 237,948 families or 914,709 people.

At least 22,029 families or 77,793 people shifted to evacuation centres.

Typhoon Molave first made landfall in Tabaco City, south of Manila, on Sunday evening.

Molave is the 17th typhoon to batter the Philippines this year amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

About 20 typhoons and tropical storms hit the Philippines each year.

The Southeast Asian archipelago of 110 million people has frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.