It’s the most powerful to hit the country since 2013, when Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people. About 50,000 homes are without electricity. In recent days, the area had been lashed by cyclone Molave, which caused 22 deaths. Another new cyclone is on its way, the 19th of the season.
Manila (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The passage of the Goni super typhoon yesterday caused 16 deaths in the provinces south of the capital, reported the Philippine National Civil Protection this morning. It added that three people are still missing; 370,000 were evacuated from disaster areas.
After yesterday's peaks, in which it reached 370 km / h, Goni has been downgraded to a tropical storm, and is moving towards the coasts of central Vietnam. It is the 18th typhoon to hit the country this year: the most powerful in the world in 2020, and the most devastating for the Philippines since 2013, when Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people.
Albay and Catanduanes are the worst affected provinces. According to the local Red Cross, 80-90% of buildings in Virac (70,000 inhabitants) have been damaged. In the entire island of Luzon, which produces more than a third of the national GDP, 2.1 million residents are affected; 50,000 homes are without electricity. In recent days, the area had been lashed by cyclone Molave, which caused 22 deaths.
Atsani, a new typhoon, is approaching Philippine territory. The island nation is hit by around 20 violent tropical storms each year. The climate emergency is further worsened by the ongoing health emergency of Covid-19; so far the infected in the country are almost 381 thousand; more than 7,200 deaths.