Typhoon Chan-Hom Strikes the Philippines

A deadly typhoon in the Philippines has left 15 people dead today. Mudslides triggered by the storm have torn roofs off houses before it eventually weakened. Here’s more on the story.

Typhoon Chan-Hom is the fifth to hit the Philippines this year. It has destroyed roads and bridges and felled power lines in several provinces on the main island, Luzon.

Heavy floods forced villagers in Isabela province to evacuate their homes, as rescuers struggle with limited equipment.

[Col. Isaias Espino, Philippines Air Force]:
„Our two helicopters are really overwhelmed with the number of villagers that we needed to evacuate. We still have to evacuate more who are marooned in the floods. We could only rescue some of them.“

Roads in several villages of Isabela were blocked and floods damaged a main bridge.

Around 1,500 people were in evacuation centers across Luzon. 13 villagers were killed in landslides in northern Ifugao Province, a mountainous area on Luzon famous for its rice terraces.

Downgraded to a tropical storm, Chan-Hom crossed the northern Philippines early Friday and is now headed towards China.

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. An average of 22 typhoons hit the country every year.

Landslides and flash floods are common during the monsoon months between May and October.

(NTDTV)