16 people were found dead on Thursday after the powerful typhoon Phanfone swept across the central part of the country, the AFP news agency reported, citing local disaster agency officials.
"It's like the younger sibling of Haiyan. It's less destructive, but it followed a similar path", Western Visayas region's disaster official Cindy Ferrer said.
The calamity has brought strong winds and heavy rainfalls that have destroyed over 100 buildings and disrupted numerous power lines.
Wow...🙏🏻 Sending prayers..😢 'Christmas Typhoon' Ursula leaves trail of destruction in the Philippines https://t.co/Mk65VUdKAV
— ☃️🎄 Nora 🎄☃️ (@Justicegroupie2) December 26, 2019
Le #typhon #Phanfone a frappé, le jour de Noël, l'archipel des #Philippines, forçant des milliers d'habitants à quitter leur domicile. Les dégâts sont importants et la police a décompté six disparus, dont un père et ses trois enfants. https://t.co/t2VHuDEMBV 🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/04dSIrve6K
— Ghassan Basile (@gnbasile) December 25, 2019
(563) SIGUEN LOS DESASTRES EN LA TIERRA POR EL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO Y POR ESO LA CREACIÓN GIME COMO DOLORES DE PARTO. ESTO AVISA QUE EL APOCALÍPSIS SE ACERCA (Romanos 8:22,23)
— CRISTO VIENE PRONTO, NOTICIAS (@VieneNoticias) December 26, 2019
"TIFON PHANFONE QUE AZOTO A FILIPINAS A DEJADO MILES DE PERSONAS ATRAPADAS POR LAS GRANDES INUNDACIONES" pic.twitter.com/tZVCwo5FJH
“The aftermath, of course, made us sad because it’s Christmas Day, but it doesn’t feel like Christmas, but we’re blessed to be safe...no major devastation or casualties reported”, Leyte province resident Paul Cinco said.
According to disaster officials, Phanfone's winds were blowing at a speed of 120 km per hour (75 miles per hour) when it hit the eastern Samar province.
On 3 December, more than 225,000 locals were evacuated as another powerful typhoon, Kammuri, ravaged Luzon and Mindoro islands.
