Typhoon Rai packed sustained winds of 195 kilometers (121 miles) per hour and gusts of up to270 kph (168 mph), one of the most powerful in recent years to hit the Southeast Asian archipelago. Power and communications are knocked out through most of the region as people find themselves homeless or their homes so badly damaged that are not habitable. As reported by the AP:
The main disaster-response agency said at least 31 people were reported killed, many after being hit by falling trees
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful typhoon left at least 31 people dead, knocked down power and communications in entire provinces and wrought widespread destruction mostly in the central Philippines, officials said Saturday. A governor said her island has been “leveled to the ground.”
This photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Rai at a coastal village in Surigao del Norte province, southern Philippines on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. A strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
Typhoon Rai blew away Friday night into the South China Sea after rampaging through southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 people in its path were evacuated to safety in advance in a pre-emptive move officials say may have saved a lot of lives.
CORRECTS THE AREA TO NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, INSTEAD OF LOBOC, BOHOL – In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers carry a child as they assist residents who were trapped in their homes after floodwaters caused by Typhoon Rai inundated their village in Negros Occidental, central Philippines on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. The strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
At its strongest, Rai packed sustained winds of 195 kilometers (121 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 270 kph (168 mph), one of the most powerful in recent years to hit the disaster-prone Southeast Asian archipelago, which lies between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. The typhoon slammed into the country’s southeastern coast Thursday, but the extent of casualties and destruction remained unclear two days after with entire provinces still without power and cellphone connection.
Residents carry what’s left of their belongings as they walk past damaged homes due to Typhoon Rai in Surigao city, Surigao del Norte, central Philippines on Friday Dec. 17, 2021. A powerful typhoon left more than a dozen people dead, knocked down power and communications in entire provinces and wrought widespread destruction mostly in the central Philippines, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Erwin Mascarinas)
The government’s main disaster-response agency said at least 31 people were reported killed, many after being hit by falling trees, but it added it was validating most of the deaths. At least three were injured and one was missing.
This photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Rai at a coastal village in Surigao del Norte province, southern Philippines on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. A strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
Officials on Dinagat Islands, one of the first provinces to be lashed by the typhoon’s ferocious winds, remained cut off Saturday due to downed power and communication lines. But its governor, Arlene Bag-ao, managed to post a statement on the province’s website to say that the island of about 180,000 “has been leveled to the ground.” She pleaded for food, water, temporary shelters, fuel, hygiene kits and medical supplies. She said only a few casualties have been reported in the capital so far because other towns remain isolated.
CORRECTS THE AREA TO NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, INSTEAD OF LOBOC, BOHOL – In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers pull a rubber boat as they assist residents who were trapped in their homes after floodwaters caused by Typhoon Rai inundated their village in Negros Occidental, central Philippines on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. The strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
“We may have survived, but we cannot do the same in the coming days because of our limited capacities as an island province,” Bag-ao said, adding some of Dinagat’s hospitals could not open due to damage. “Most of our commercial and cargo vessels … are now unsuitable for sea voyages, effectively cutting us off from the rest of the country.”
Residents salvage what’s left of their belongings at their damaged home due to Typhoon Rai in Surigao city, Surigao del Norte, central Philippines on Friday Dec. 17, 2021. A powerful typhoon left more than a dozen people dead, knocked down power and communications in entire provinces and wrought widespread destruction mostly in the central Philippines, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Erwin Mascarinas)
Vice Gov. Nilo Demerey managed to reach a nearby province and told DZMM radio network that at least six residents died and that “almost 95% of houses in Dinagat have no roof,” and even emergency shelters were destroyed.
Residents line up to charge their phones for free at a mall after Typhoon Rai damaged power lines and other parts of Cebu city, central Philippines on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. A strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (AP Photo/Jay Labra)
“We’re currently doing repairs because even our evacuation centers were destroyed. There are no shelters, the churches, gymnasium, schools, public markets and even the capitol were all shattered,” Demerey said.
This photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, shows damaged houses caused by Typhoon Rai at a coastal village in Surigao del Norte province, southern Philippines on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. A strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
Pictures posted on Dinagat’s website show low-slung houses with roofs either blown off or damaged and surrounded by tin roof sheets and debris. The nearby island of Siargao, known as the surfing capital of the Philippines, also was pummeled by the typhoon.
Residents line up for gasoline after Typhoon Rai damaged parts of Cebu city, central Philippines on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. A strong typhoon engulfed villages in floods that trapped residents on roofs, toppled trees and knocked out power in southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 villagers had fled to safety before the onslaught, officials said. (AP Photo/Cheryl Baldicantos)
In central Bohol province, which was directly hit by the typhoon, the coast guard said its personnel on board rubber boats rescued residents who were trapped on roofs and trees, as waters rose rapidly. It released footage showing coast guard staff helping people from the roof of a house nearly engulfed by brownish floodwater to a rubber boat. They also help a villager climb down from a tree above the floodwater while another man, also wearing an orange life vest, waits for his turn.
Residents carry what’s left of their belongings as they walk past a damaged boat due to Typhoon Rai in Surigao city, Surigao del Norte, central Philippines on Friday Dec. 17, 2021. A powerful typhoon left more than a dozen people dead, knocked down power and communications in entire provinces and wrought widespread destruction mostly in the central Philippines, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Erwin Mascarinas)
With government contingency funds used for the coronavirus pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would look for money to help the provinces. He planned to visit the devastated region this weekend.
About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. The archipelago is located in the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire” region, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
