11 DIE AS TYPHOON BATTERS PHILIPPINES
A woman receiving oxygen reacts as rescuers evacuate her from a submerged village following Typhoon Vamco in Marikina, Metro Manila, on Thursday. The typhoon caused major flooding in Manila, trapping people on rooftops and claiming at least 11 lives in other parts of the Philippines. —
manila — The third typhoon to hit the storm-battered Philippines in as many weeks caused major flooding in Manila on Thursday, trapping people on rooftops and claiming at least 11 lives in other parts of the country.
Typhoon Vamco packed winds of up to 155 kilometres per hour as it swept across the country’s largest island of Luzon after making landfall overnight.
Authorities warned of landslides and potentially deadly storm surges along the coast.
Heavy rain effectively shut down Manila, the sprawling capital of 12 million people, and surrounding areas, turning streets into rivers.
“A lot of places are submerged. Many people are crying for help,” said Rouel Santos, 53, a retired disaster officer in Rizal province, next to the capital.
Santos said the flooding caused by Vamco brought back memories of the devastating Typhoon Ketsana, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Ondoy, that hit in 2009 and claimed hundreds of lives.
The Philippine Red Cross, police, military and other rescuers used boats to reach people stranded in their homes in Marikina City, one of the hardest-hit areas of the capital, where the water in some streets was up to shoulder height.
Residents who were able to escape on foot carried pet dogs, televisions, bicycles and other belongings as they waded through the murky, debrisstrewn water.
At least 11 people died and nine others were missing, according to disaster agency reports for two regions of Luzon.
But complete data for all affected areas on the island has not yet been released and the toll is likely to rise as authorities assess the destruction.
Requests for help were piling up, said Casiano Monilla, Civil Defence deputy administrator for operations.
He said many people had not heeded warnings to evacuate ahead of the typhoon, urging them to do so “while there’s still time”. —
Rest assured, the government will not leave anybody behind Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine President