Typhoon in Philippines leaves over 30 dead in its wake

A typhoon that tore through parts of the Philippines beginning Thursday left more than 30 people dead and several others injured, though officials are still trying to determine the extent of the damage, The Associated Press reported.

The typhoon, dubbed Rai, hit the southeastern coast of the Philippines on Thursday, with impact concentrated in the central and southern island provinces. The destruction left at least 31 people dead, one person missing and at least three people injured, according to the main disaster response agency for the country, the news outlet noted.

Before the weather event occurred, more than 300,000 people were able to be safely evacuated. Rai had gusts of up to 168 mph and sustained winds of 121 mph per hour.

Some provinces were left without cellphone connection or power, the AP reported.

“We may have survived, but we cannot do the same in the coming days because of our limited capacities as an island province,” Arlene Bag-ao, governor of the Dinagat Islands province, said in a statement on the government’s website. 

She also urged for temporary shelters and food to be provided, among other critical supplies, according to the AP.

She said that her province “has been leveled to the ground.”

President Rodrigo Duterte said he would survey the region of the country affected by the storm this weekend. He noted he would look into financial assistance given that the coronavirus pandemic drained the country’s contingency funds, according to the news outlet.

According to CNN, Typhoon Rai is the 15th to impact the country in 2021 alone.