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Original title: Typhoon “Swan” hits the Philippines and killed 4 people Authorities: or now a “catastrophic” situation Source: Chinanews.com
On November 1, 2020, Typhoon No. 19 “Swan” made landfall on the southeast coast of Luzon island in the Philippines, causing at least 4 deaths. Philippine authorities have warned that “catastrophic” situations may occur in some areas. Currently, around 1 million residents in the northern Philippines have been evacuated.
According to AFP, Typhoon Swan is the strongest typhoon so far in 2020. The Philippine National Weather Forecaster stated that although “Swan” has been downgraded from “Super Typhoon”, it still swept the southern tip of the island of Luzon, the most populous island in the Philippines, and is moving towards the capital, Manila.
Currently, the “Swan” has a maximum continuous wind speed of 225 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 310 kilometers per hour. Strong winds toppled roofs, toppled trees and caused flash flooding in some areas.
On October 31 local time, Typhoon Swan will land in the Philippines and the local population will be forced to evacuate.
Bishara, governor of Albay province in the Philippines, said the “swan” has killed at least four people, including a 5-year-old boy. The provincial director of public security, Dap, said the roofs of the two evacuation centers were blown off by strong winds and the people inside were moved to the first floor. Philippine civil defense official Jarad said that so far 346,993 people have been evacuated from their homes.
The Philippine Meteorological Department has warned that “catastrophic strong winds and heavy rains” will hit areas where the typhoon is passing, including provinces near the capital. Just a week ago, Typhoon Morafi had caused severe damage to the Philippines, killing 22 people.
The Philippine National Committee for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management issued an emergency alert, stating that in the coming hours, stormy winds will have “extremely destructive” effects on Manila and surrounding provinces, and may cause flooding and landslides. .
Before the storm hit, various disaster relief agencies dispatched vehicles, emergency kits and relief supplies. Thousands of soldiers and policemen were on standby to prepare for evacuation and rescue.
On the other hand, since the outbreak of the new corona epidemic, the Philippines has registered more than 378,000 infections, of which more than 7,100 people have died. This has depleted the country’s resources and complicated evacuation efforts. Officials said the new crown patients who were treated in the tent have been evacuated.
Forecasters said Typhoon “Swan” is expected to “weaken slightly” as it enters the South China Sea through southern Luzon on the afternoon of the 1st or the morning of the 2nd. But another storm is already brewing. tropical near the coast and is expected to intensify as it approaches the Philippines in the coming days.
According to the report, the Philippines experiences an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, which often destroy crops, houses and infrastructure, leaving millions of people in poverty.
In recent years, the highest number of deaths caused by wind disasters was Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which caused huge waves in the central city of Tacloban in the Philippines, killing or disappearing more than 7,300 people.
