Tourists stuck as Typhoon Phanfone hits
MANILA: Tourists on the popular Philippine holiday island of Boracay were stranded yesterday after a typhoon swept across on Christmas Day, killing at least 16 people in other parts of the country.
Typhoon Phanfone, with wind gusts reaching 200 kilometres an hour, tore roofs off houses and toppled electric posts as it ripped through the central Philippines on Wednesday.
At least 16 people were killed in villages and towns in the Visayas, the central third of the Philippines, according to disaster agency officials.
Phanfone also hit Boracay, Coron and other holiday destinations that are famed for their white-sand beaches and popular with foreign tourists.
Mobile phone and internet access on Boracay was cut during the storm on Wednesday and the networks remained down yesterday, making an assessment of the damage difficult.
“Still, communication lines are down. Electricity is still down,” Jonathan Pablito, police chief of Malay town in Aklan province, which is on a neighbouring island to Boracay said.
Mr Pablito said that ferry services between Boracay and Aklan — the main way to travel to and from the holiday island — were still not operating yesterday even though the storm had long passed.
“We have no news from coast guard if ships were allowed to sail. Since the 24th... all those going to the island and coming from the island weren’t able to cross.”
The airport at Kalibo town in Aklan, which services Boracay, was badly damaged, according to a Korean tourist who was stranded there and provided images.
“Roads remain blocked, but some efforts have been made to clear away the damage. It’s pretty bad,” Jung Byung-joon said via Instagram.
“Everything within 100 meters of the airport looks broken. There are a lot of frustrated people at the airport as flights have been cancelled.
“Taxis are still running but it’s windy and still raining so no one wants to leave the airport, including me.”
Another Korean tourist stuck at the damaged airport said she had been unable to make contact with her friend on Boracay yesterday.