Hundreds of people are still missing under mud and debris in the Philippines after tropical storm “Megi”.
“Megi”, called “Agaton” in the Philippines, was the first tropical storm of the year and hit land on the east coast on Sunday with gusts of up to 105 kilometers per hour.
(dpa) At least 156 people were killed, most of them in Leyte province, almost 600 kilometers southeast of the capital Manila, the authorities said on Friday. Heavy rains had triggered landslides on the surrounding mountains, which fell on villages and buried dozens of houses.
In Baybay City and nearby Abuyog, more than 250 missing people are still being sought, it said. With the weather now calmer, the emergency services intensified their efforts to rescue people from the earth masses. They were supported by soldiers, who also distributed relief supplies to those affected.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people
A total of around 1.6 million people in 30 provinces were affected, according to civil protection. More than 280,000 citizens sought shelter in evacuation centers. There was also serious damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
“Megi”, called “Agaton” in the Philippines, was the first tropical storm of the year and hit land on the east coast on Sunday with gusts of up to 105 kilometers per hour. The island nation is hit by an average of around 20 typhoons each year. The worst storm to date, Haiyan, killed more than 6,300 people in November 2013.