MANILA, May 28 (Reuters) – At least seven people have been killed by tropical storm Ewiniar, which hit the country on the weekend, Philippine authorities said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Tuesday that search and rescue efforts would continue. Ewiniar brought strong winds and heavy rain in provinces south of the capital, shutting down airports and seaports and disrupting power supply.
The storm was heading towards east coast of Japan on Tuesday, with sustained winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour (80 mph) and gustiness of up to 160 kph (100 mph). According to a report in the JapanNews of 27 May, the Japan Meteorological Agency has predicted that Typhoon Ewiniar will be likely to approach Minamidaitoujima, Okinawa Prefecture, on Wednesday. The agency is calling for caution.
A 14-year-old girl was confirmed dead in southern Misamis Oriental province after a tree fell on a parked vehicle she was boarding. Another student was injured, the national disaster agency said in a report.
In Quezon province, east of the capital, six people were reported dead, police major Elizabeth Capistrano told DWPM radio station. Among the deceased were two men, aged 56 and 22, who drowned, and a 39-year-old man who was hit by a falling tree. Over 7,000 people are reportedly stranded, to include truck drivers.
Marcos, speaking ahead of a state visit to Brunei, said the storm affected nearly 27,000 people, and disrupted operations of three airports and nine seaports over the weekend.
Ewiniar was the first tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year. The Southeast Asian nation sees an average of 20 storms annually, often resulting in heavy rains, strong winds, and deadly landslides.
Climate change is likely to accelerate and enhance natural debacles we could be facing. These storms are an annual reminder of mankind’s responsibility to the planet and also an impetus for acting now to save the world.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
Team Bharatshakti
