MANILA, NOV 15 – Hundreds of people fled today as Typhoon Man-Yi slammed into the Philippines, threatening to bring more destruction as rescue teams scrambled to reach residents trapped on rooftops by the last tropical storm.
Five major typhoons have hit the island nation in the past three weeks, killing at least 163 lives and prompting the United Nations (UN) to ask for US$32.9 million in aid for the worst-hit areas.
Typhoon Usagi hit the northern part of the country yesterday and rescue teams were still trying to reach people trapped on rooftops on the northern island of Luzon, where livestock were killed.
Meanwhile, authorities began evacuating hundreds of people from the island of Catanduanes, which is expected to be the first island directly hit by typhoon Man-Yi on Saturday, according to the weather service.
“We expect thousands more to be evacuated in the hours before Man-Yi lands,” Roberto Monterola, chief of operations of the Catanduanes civil defense office told AFP.
“We don’t have enough evacuation centers, so some of them will take shelter with neighbors who have houses made of stronger materials.” – AFP
