Typhoon Hagupit: Storm nears to Philippine capital Manila

Typhoon Hagupit: Storm nears to Philippine Capital Manila

 

 

Typhoon Hagupit-Storm nears to Philippine capital Manila

 

Tropical storm Hagupit is heading to Manila, but has been downgraded from a typhoon after crossing the country. 

At least 21 people were killed by the storm, the Red Cross said, with the eastern island of Samar worst hit, but it caused far less damage than feared.

Thousands of people are heading home after about a million people were evacuated from vulnerable areas.

The city of Tacloban, which bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Haiyan last year, has emerged relatively unscathed.

Albay province, which evacuated more than half its population, has called for those people to go home.

After spending three days at a school in Polangi, families are packing into small military trucks, holding one or two plastic bags with the essentials they brought with them.

They worry about the state in which they'll find their homes but many are most worried about their rice fields, their only source of income.

One woman reached her house and found it flooded and uninhabitable. For her that means at least one more night in the evacuation centre. 

In the capital, residents are preparing for heavy rain and strong winds.

The typhoon is still travelling westwards across the Philippines, and has weakened into a tropical storm, according to the Philippine meteorological authorities.

A government alert on Monday morning stated that residents of the capital and surrounding regions should expect winds of up to 100km/h (62mph) in the next 24 hours, and to prepare for possible flash floods, landslides, and storm surges of up to 2m. Read more news here.

Thousands who live along the coast and riverbanks were evacuated on Monday, reports said. A total of 11.8 million people live in the national capital region.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said the city was "prepared and trained for this", but added: "It's the flooding that we are worried about."

Financial markets closed their doors on Monday along with schools and government offices. Flights and other public transport were halted. 

For more information about Typhoon Hagupit read here.
Source: BBC News