MANILA — Dozens of people were killed in the eastern Philippines in a weekend storm that set off landslides and flash floods as the country prepared for the New Year, officials said Monday.

The national disaster management agency said the storm, which struck the region of Bicol on Saturday, had left at least 61 dead, while 18 others were missing.

Most of the casualties were due to rain-induced floods and landslides, with many residents choosing to stay home rather than spend the holidays in evacuation camps, the agency said.

The storm, locally called Usman, had maximum winds of 55 kilometers, or 34 miles, an hour. Deadly storms are a regular occurrence in the Philippines, and this one had raised little alarm despite being relatively strong.