At least 43 dead and six missing from storm Megi in the Philippines

At least 43 people have died and six remain missing in Philippines as a result of the passage of the tropical storm Megi that devastated the central part of the archipelago, the authorities reported this Wednesday.

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In its latest report, the National Council for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction stated that almost 35,000 people have been evacuated to temporary centers set up by the authorities.

Tropical storm Megi, baptized in the Philippines as Agaton, entered the country’s east coast on Sunday in a northwesterly direction, causing floods and landslides in the Visayas and Mindadao archipelagos, in the center and south of the country.

In total, more than 580,000 people have been affected by the phenomenon, accounting for more than 407 floods throughout the country, while 63 municipalities still do not have electricity.

The storm, which has lost strength and intensity to the point of being considered a storm, is currently east of the eastern island of Samar, where the highest number of deaths has been recorded, with 37, and the six missing are being sought.

In addition to Megi, the Philippines also remains alert to the approach of Typhoon Malakas, which, despite the fact that it is not expected to make landfall and leave the waters of Philippine territory soon, could affect the intensity of Megi, according to the PAGASA meteorological agency.

Megi is the first major storm to hit the disaster-prone country in 2022, which records an average of 20 typhoons each year.

This storm, which hit the country with the most Catholics in Asia before the celebration of Holy Week, surprised the authorities, who had declared a minimum alert before it made landfall.

In December, Typhoon Rai, the most powerful to hit the Philippines last year, left at least 409 dead; while Typhoon Haiyán, the largest to have made landfall, caused some 7,000 deaths throughout the archipelago in November 2013.

Source: Elcomercio

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