Fatality as typhoon lands
Over 200 000 residents displaced, thousands stranded at ports after ferries are halted
AT LEAST one person was killed and more than 212 000 people were displaced as Typhoon Kammuri battered the eastern Philippines yesterday, officials said.
More than 4 100 people were also stranded at seaports in the eastern region of Bicol, after the coastguard prevented ferries from setting sail due to the stormy seas.
One person in Bicol was electrocuted, said Luisa Calubaquib, a regional police spokesperson. No other details were immediately available.
Of those displaced, almost half – 108 168 – were residents of Albay province, one of the areas where Kammuri was expected to make landfall last night or early today, the weather bureau said.
The typhoon could also make landfall over the provinces Sorsogon or
Catanduanues, where strong winds and heavy rain were reported yesterday, police said.
The weather bureau warned that Kammuri could trigger flash floods, landslides, mud flows and 3m waves.
Kammuri gathered power and slowed down as it approached the eastern region of Bicol.
Winds reached 155km/h with gusts of up to 190km/h, as the typhoon moved west at 15km/h.
The weather bureau raised typhoon alert warnings for nearly 50 provinces and the metro areas of the capital, Manila.
School classes were suspended in more than 20 eastern and northern provinces, as well as in the capital.
Nearly 30 domestic flights were cancelled and today, Manila’s international airport will close all four terminals for 12 hours from 11am to 11pm when Kammuri’s effect will be felt in the capital, Ed Monreal, general manager of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, told reporters. “This is technically a force majeure for the safety of passengers,” he said.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the government was closely monitoring the typhoon and emergency teams were on standby.
“We ask the public, especially residents who will be affected by the typhoon, to stay vigilant… And coordinate with their (local officials) for appropriate and responsive action,” he said.
Each year, the Philippines is hit by an average of 20 cyclones, causing floods, landslides and other accidents.
One of the strongest in recent memory, Typhoon Haiyan, hit the country in November 2013, killing more than 6 300 people and displacing more than 4 million.
Over 3 000 residents in the central Philippines have been taken to safer ground.
Some of the areas that will be affected by the typhoon are the designated venues for sports events of the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games in Metro Manila, and the provinces south and north of Manila.
But Ramon Suzara of the Philippine SEA Games organising committee is unfazed by the threat of the typhoon, saying contingency plans have been “in place for a long time”.
“As long as the category of the typhoon is still manageable but if it’s really strong then we have to cancel or postpone or delay the matches,” he said. |