MANILA – A weakened typhoon Hagupit was moving out of the Philippines on Tuesday after killing at least 28 people in eastern and central provinces and displacing over 1.6 million, weather official said.
Statement from the Weather Bureau said that Hagupit brought only moderate rain and winds to Manila overnight and was downgraded to a tropical depression, as it headed to the sea.
It said that no floods were reported in Manila, a metropolis of 12 million people, where schools, government offices and financial markets had closed as a precaution ahead of the storm’s approach.
The bureau added that Hagupit was expected to be out of the Philippines’ territory by Thursday.
Hagupit slammed into the eastern coast of Samar Island, 560 kilometres south-east of Manila, on Saturday, destroying over 30,000 homes, knocking out power and damaging some key infrastructure.
The head of the National Disaster Risk Management Council, Alexander Pama, said that some roads were impassable due to floods, landslides and toppled trees or electric posts.
Pama added that however emergency workers have cleared most of them to allow government relief supplies to be brought to the affected areas.
“We are carrying on with clearing and relief efforts to ensure that the people get the help they need,’’ Pama said.
Millions of people were still without electricity on Tuesday, but officials said repairs of downed distribution lines and electric posts were being rushed.
Reports say Hagupit was the strongest cyclone to hit the Philippines since 2013’s super typhoon Haiyan devastated eastern and central provinces, leaving over 7,300 dead or missing and displacing over 4 million.
Meanwhile the extent of Hagupit’s physical damage was still unclear, mass deaths appeared to have been avoided this time after authorities ordered evacuation days before the typhoon made landfall. (dpa/NAN)
Weakened typhoon moving out of Philippines, at least 28 dead
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