The death toll from Super Typhoon Man-yi that struck the Philippines over the weekend has risen to nine, according to the Department of National Defense.
Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno stated that the number of deaths could have been higher if not for the government’s forced evacuation of residents in disaster-prone areas before Man-yi made landfall.
Catanduanes, an island province in the Bicol region southeast of Manila, was particularly hard hit by Man-yi. Approximately 4,000 houses were damaged, with 500 completely destroyed. “Super Typhoon Man-yi was at its height when it lashed the villages in Catanduanes,” Nepomuceno said.
Man-yi is the 16th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year. Before Man-yi, five successive cyclones slammed into the country between October and early November.
The back-to-back cyclones have dumped heavy rainfall, triggering flooding and landslides, and wreaked havoc across Luzon and other parts of the archipelago.
Nepomuceno reported that damages to agriculture from recent typhoons have exceeded 7 billion pesos (about $119 million). Infrastructure damages have been reported at 10.4 billion pesos (about $176 million).
Reference(s):
Super Typhoon Man-yi death toll rises to 9 in the Philippines
cgtn.com
