Typhoon Rai Claims Hundreds of Lives in the Philippines

Typhoon Rai Claims Hundreds of Lives in the Philippines

The death toll in the Philippines from Typhoon Rai has risen to 375, the country’s national police report. At least 500 people were injured, and 56 people are still missing.

 

The super typhoon made landfall on Thursday with wind speeds of up to 195 kilometres per hour. Rai, known locally as Odette, was accompanied by a large amount of rain. More than 380,000 people had to leave their homes because of the bad weather.

The Red Cross in the Philippines speaks of a “complete devastation” in the coastal areas. “Homes, hospitals and schools have been completely destroyed,” said Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon. Villages have been flooded, and crops have been wiped out. Many people in the affected area are without electricity.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons every year. Rai occurred relatively late in the year, with most storms occurring between July and October. Rai is also the worst typhoon this year for the Asian country. The worst ever was Haiyan in 2013. That super typhoon killed more than 6300 people.

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