Four killed, dozens injured as Typhoon Rai batters central Philippines

In this year’s strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines, four people were killed and dozens more were injured. Super Typhoon Rai, also named “Odette” by the country’s authorities, has battered the central islands of the archipelago.

As the storm swept over the Pacific Ocean, 18,000 people have yet to return home out of the more than 300,000 people who sought emergency refuge. Many of the afflicted areas are still blocked off due to the extent of the devastation.

Local media in the hardest-hit city of Surigao, on Mindanao’s southern island, reported considerable damage such as landslides, fallen trees, and downed power lines, including the provincial disaster severely damaged as if it had been struck with a bomb.

Al Jazeera reported that aid is on the way. However, restoring telecommunication lines to full access is being prioritised at the same time as houses have been swamped and airports have been rendered inoperable, leaving individuals stuck on roofs waiting for help.

Surigao City Mayor Ernesto Matugas stated that Rai has caused serious damage to the city of 170,000 people today with its heavy wind. The Philippines, listed as one of the world’s most susceptible countries to the consequences of climate change, is slammed by an average of 20 storms and typhoons per year, which generally wipe away harvests, houses, and infrastructure in already destitute areas.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera