PHILIPPINES-TYPHOON/MANILA Philippine capital braces for storm, as Hagupit leaves at least 21 dead

Record ID: 734994

  • Title: PHILIPPINES-TYPHOON/MANILA Philippine capital braces for storm, as Hagupit leaves at least 21 dead
  • Date: 8th December 2014
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (DECEMBER 8, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL WHICH WAS TURNED INTO TEMPORARY SHELTER EVACUEES ALONG HALLWAY SCHOOL OFFICIALS ASSISTING WITH REGISTRATION OF EVACUEES SCHOOL OFFICIAL SPEAKING TO EVACUEES SEATED ALONG HALLWAY EVACUEES INSIDE CLASSROOM MOTHER SITTING ON MAT AND BREAST-FEEDING INFANT WOMAN SLEEPING NEAR DESKS (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) EVACUEE CATHERINE BELOCILLO SAYING: "The thought that the typhoon will be passing near us is scary." CHILDREN LYING ON MATS CHILDREN SITTING ON DESKS EVACUEES WALKING ON HALLWAY EVACUEE GRACIANA MAMBRAVE SITTING IN A CORNER WITH GRAND CHILD (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) EVACUEE GRACIANA MAMBRAVE SAYING: "I pray to God, I told him, Lord please help us, because he is a powerful being. He rules the heaven and the earth." VARIOUS OF SHANTIES NEAR COASTLINE PEOPLE WITH UMBRELLAS WALKING NEAR SHORE OF MANILA BAY MANILA BAY COASTLINE
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9WF6UUMZN5N3GR6209JB5CTR1
  • Story Text: Residents of low-lying coastal areas and those living near waterways in Manila evacuated to temporary shelters on Monday (December 8), fearing large waves and floods as a storm churned across provinces south of the capital.
    The death toll from Typhoon Hagupit rose to at last 21 on Monday, the Philippine Red Cross said, after the storm tore through the country's central islands flattening homes and toppling trees and power lines.
    The capital Manila shut down as Hagupit took aim at the tip of the main island Luzon, just south of the city of 12 million people.
    Nearly 5,000 evacuees from the Baseco Compound stayed in temporary shelters to take cover from potential storm surges, even though the storm has weakened considerably since its initial landfall on Saturday (December 6) evening.
    Baseco's residents are all too familiar with storm devastation, and were not going to take chances.
    "The thought that the typhoon will be passing near us is scary," said evacuee Catherine Belocillo, who took refuge with her baby.
    Others turned to prayer as they feared the onslaught.
    "I pray to God, I told Him, 'Lord please help us', because He is a powerful being. He rules the heaven and the earth," said another evacuee Graciana Mambrave, who is taking care of her grandchild.
    The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Manila confirmed only two dead and three injured. Two others were reported killed outside Samar, the third largest island in the Philippines, since Hagupit hit on Saturday night (December 6).
    But despite the jump in the number of reported dead, there was relief that Hagupit had not brought destruction on the scale of super typhoon Haiyan, which last year killed thousands of people in the same areas of the central Philippines.
    Hagupit roared in from the Pacific as a Category 3 typhoon on Saturday night, churning across Samar island and on to the smaller island of Masbate. Its effects were felt across the central Philippines, including Leyte island and southern Luzon.
    Learning lessons from Haiyan, which left more than 7,000 dead or missing, the authorities had launched a massive evacuation operation ahead of the storm, emptying whole towns and villages in coastal and landslide prone areas.
    Hagupit was crawling west northwest at 13 kph (8 mph), packing winds of up to 85 kph (53 mph) and gusts of up to 100 kph (62 mph), the PAGASA weather bureau said.
    It was on course to hit Batangas province, around 90 km (55 miles) south of Manila, on Monday evening, and would later cross Manila Bay about 50 km (31 miles) west of the city.
    The storm is expected to exit the Philippines by Wednesday (December 10), PAGASA added.
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