Dirty December In Philippine As Typhoon Phanfone Kills 28 People

Typhoon Phanfone, which made landfall on Tuesday, caused severe floods and destroyed homes in several provinces.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, 12 people remain missing.

The typhoon led to the evacuation of more than 58,000 people and stranded thousands over the holiday period.

Officials said some of the dead were hit by trees, while others were electrocuted or drowned.

Phanfone struck close to regions hit by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed more than 6,000 people and considered one of the Philippines’ deadliest storms.

Typhoon Phanfone, known locally as Typhoon Ursula, made its way through many islands of central Philippines on 25 December. It reached winds of 200kmph (125 miles per hour), leaving thousands stranded as they tried to make their way home for Christmas.

The popular tourist island of Boracay was also damaged by the typhoon, with homes destroyed and mobile phone and internet access cut off.

“Communication lines are down. Electricity is still down,” Jonathan Pablito, a police chief in Alkan province, an island neighbouring Boracay, told agency AFP on Thursday.

Tacloban, a low-lying city that was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan, was also among those affected. However, the city escaped the worst of the damage this time round.

The typhoon is said to have eased in strength on Thursday and has headed towards the South China Sea.