Floods kill 2 in Philippines, halt traffic

Torrential monsoon rains have inundated large areas of the northern Philippines, leaving at least two people dead and six missing and halting traffic in parts of the capital for many hours. The weather bureau says the rains early Saturday were aggravated by a passing tropical depression. A civil defense report says the body of a man was recovered from floodwaters in Laguna province south of Manila and another person drowned in a swollen creek in northern La Union province. Many roads in the sprawling capital area were underwater for hours, halting traffic. Suburban Pasay City Mayor Antonio Calixto says some areas near Manila's airport had neck-deep floods, forcing vehicles to take other routes, according to a report of the Associated Press.