The human toll is terrible and unfortunately it is only temporary. The devastating passage of Typhoon Rai killed 208 people in the Philippines, national police said on Monday. This makes this powerful natural phenomenon one of the deadliest in recent years in the country.
At least 239 people were injured and 52 are missing in the southern and central regions of the archipelago, the national police added. More than 300,000 people have also fled their homes. The Philippine branch of the Red Cross has reported “complete carnage” in coastal areas.
Winds up to 195 km / h
The storm ripped roofs, uprooted trees, knocked down utility poles, demolished wooden houses and flooded villages. One of the islands hardest hit by Rai is Bohol, where at least 74 people have died, Provincial Governor Arthur Yap said. Significant destruction was also recorded on the islands of Siargao, Dinagat and Mindanao, the most affected Thursday when the storm hit the country with winds of 195 kilometers per hour.
Communication in several parts of the affected areas was cut off, making it difficult for rescue workers to assess the extent of the damage. Electricity is also out of service, affecting water filling stations and ATMs.
The army as reinforcements
Thousands of military, police, coast guard and firefighters have been deployed to carry out the search and rescue work. Food, water and medical supplies were provided, transported by Coast Guard vessels. Equipment to clear roads blocked by utility poles and fallen trees has also been sent.
Rai is particularly late in the season. Most tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean form between July and October. Scientists have long warned that typhoons get stronger and stronger as global warming accelerates. The Philippines is swept by nearly 20 tropical storms or typhoons each year. Rai also brings back the very bad memory of “super typhoon” Haiyan which hit the archipelago in 2013. Called Yolanda in the Philippines, it is the deadliest cyclone ever recorded in the country, making more than 7,300 dead or missing.