MANILA - The Philippine death toll from Typhoon Bopha (local name: Pablo) rose to 129 as strong winds and heavy floods hit several provinces in Mindanao.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ( PDRMMC) said as of Wednesday noon, the number of fatalities in the province of Davao Oriental alone hit 81, while 148 were wounded, 25 went missing and 5,737 families displaced. Bopha also damaged several houses, buildings and roads in the province.

In a separate interview, Lyndon Paniza, spokesman for the 10th Infantry Division, said there are 48 casualties in the province of Compostela Valley. This number didn't include the three soldiers who died while rescuing the typhoon victims.

President Benigno Aquino III said in a news briefing that he had sent Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas to Mindanao to assess the situation there.

"Any single casualty is a cause for distress. We're always looking for ways on how to reduce the number of people killed by the typhoon," Aquino said, adding that he will visit Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental soon.

As of 11:00 a.m. local time, state meteorologists said the eye of typhoon Bopha was located at 130 km northeast of Puerto Princesa City. It has slowed down and weakened slightly and is now over Northern Palawan.

Residents retrieve their belongings after their house was destroyed by a fallen tree caused by Typhoon Bopha in Cagayan de Oro City, southern Philippines Dec 4, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]