Typhoon Rai death toll in Philippines surges to 389
Huong Tra, VOV’s correspondent in Indonesia -
(VOVWORLD) - The death toll from Typhoon Rai in the Philippines has reached 389, with 64 people missing, a government disaster agency said on Monday.
 Cebu residents look for properties in the storm debris. (Photo: AFP) |
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the typhoon also injured more than 1,000.
Typhoon Rai made landfall in the Philippines on December 16, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 168 km/h, equivalent to a Category 5 storm.
The storm blew away houses and suspended all travel in the central and southern provinces, and caused flooding and landslides that displaced more than 7 million people. The 15th and most powerful storm to hit the Philippines this year forced many families to spend the holidays in an evacuation center after their home was damaged or destroyed.
Philippine Deputy Health Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire urged evacuees to continue to follow all pandemic protocols. The storm affected 62 vaccine labs, where thousands of vaccine doses were lost due to power outages. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte promised that all government resources will be mobilized to provide aid to the storm’s victims.
The US, Canada, China, South Korea, and many other countries have pledged to help the Philippines recover.
Huong Tra, VOV’s correspondent in Indonesia