Philippines’ Duterte to inspect typhoon damage as deaths rise to 16

Manila, November 2

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At least 16 people were killed as Typhoon Goni lashed the Philippines over the weekend and about 13,000 shanties and houses were damaged or swept away in the eastern island province that was first hit by the ferocious storm, officials said Monday.

Goni blasted into Catanduanes province at dawn Sunday as a super typhoon with sustained winds of 225 kilometres (140 miles) per hour and gusts of 280 kph (174 mph).

But the storm weakened considerably after making landfall and shifted direction to spare the capital, Manila, before blowing out into the South China Sea.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will make an aerial inspection on Monday.

“The goal should be zero casualties, but since people were forcibly evacuated our casualties were reduced,” Harry Roque, a spokesman for Duterte, told a news conference.

Duterte is to fly to Manila from his southern hometown of Davao for an aerial inspection of some of the worst-hit areas, Roque added. He was in Davao when the typhoon struck, provoking some public criticism.

The Philippine police chief was also travelling to Guinobatan in the province of Albay after a lawmaker reported about 300 houses were buried under volcanic rock and mud flows from the Mayon volcano.

With its communication and power lines down, the province of 2,75,000 people was cut off, said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

The Office of Civil Defence said at least 16 people were killed in Catanduanes and nearby Albay province, where three others remain missing.

Catanduanes, an island province of more than 2,60,000 people that is often lashed by Pacific storms, was isolated after losing power and communications due to Goni and another typhoon that had hit a week earlier. But managed to connect to the outside world on Monday after disaster-response authorities flew to the devastated island with satellite phones.

Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua and other officials said at least five people drowned and four were injured in the typhoon, which whipped up 5-metre (16-foot) storm surges. About 13,000 shanties and houses were damaged or swept away when the typhoon slammed into the province, they said. Many residents fled to safety from their homes as the typhoon approached.

Cua described the onslaught as “severe” and reported that some coastal areas were swamped by frightening storm surges. His brief conversation with some Cabinet officials in Manila was broadcast live on state-run TV.

“About 10,000 shanties were totally washed out along the coastlines that were hit by the typhoon,” Catanduanes Representative Hector Sanchez said.

About 80 per cent of the electric posts on the island were toppled and roads linking the province’s 11 towns remained impassable to vehicles, Cua said.

An army general on the island appealed for more troops to help distribute food packs and water to residents. He added that the Army camp was destroyed by the typhoon and soldiers have camped out at the airport, which remained open.

An air force cargo plane was to deliver food packs, drinking water, blankets and other relief goods to the island province.

The typhoon also devastated the nearby province of Albay, where heavy rains washed down boulders and mudflows from Mayon Volcano, engulfing about 150 houses in a single community in the town of Guinobatan.

Two residents were killed in the community and three others remain missing, Albay Gov Al Francis Bichara said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was to conduct an aerial inspection of the typhoon-hit region on his way to Manila on Monday from his southern hometown, officials said. The 75-year-old leader has been criticized for his absences from public view amid the coronavirus pandemic and recent storms, but aides say he’s working even when away from the public. AP/Reuters