Typhoon Mangkhut: Death Toll Increases to 25 While Dozens Missing in Philippine
The death toll due to typhoon Mangkhut slamming the Philippines rose to 25 on Sunday while dozens were still reported missing, authorities said.
Manila, Sep 16: The death toll due to typhoon Mangkhut slamming the Philippines rose to 25 on Sunday while dozens were still reported missing, authorities said.
Presidential adviser Francis Tolentino confirmed these figures in Cagayan province, where the season's most powerful typhoon made landfall on Saturday morning, reports Efe news.
Most of the deaths occurred due to landslides in mountainous regions, which received torrential rainfall and strong winds during Mangkhut's passage. Twenty of them occurred in Cordillera region, four in Nueva Ecija and one in Ilocos, according to national government figures.
According to Tolentino, at the moment there is no information on victims in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela, on the north-eastern coast of the island of Luzon.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to visit the affected areas on Sunday and inspect the damage. After making landfall in Baggao in the north-easternmost tip of the country, Mangkhut caused wind gusts of up to 305 kph, torrential rains, floods and waves of up to six metres.
In its westward trajectory, the typhoon weakened slightly and left the Philippine area of responsibility at around 9 p.m., heading towards Hong Kong with sustained winds of 170 kph.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 16, 2018 11:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).