Tropical Storm Trami lashes the Philippines

25.10.2024

The Philippines is facing one of the strongest tropical storms in recent years which has already claimed over seven dozen lives. Tropical Storm Trami displaced 320,000 residents and unleashed landslides and floods.

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The force of Tropical Storm Trami caught thousands of residents of the Philippines by surprise some even stuck on the roofs of their houses. The storm is gradually moving into the South China Sea during Friday, but there are fears from meteorologists that it could turn back due to high pressure winds. These winds arise at this time in the South China Sea region.

The provincial police chief said the most people died in landslides caused by the storm in Batangas province south of Manila. Dozens of other residents remain missing from around the lakeside town of Talisay.

Although Storm Trami did not strengthen into a typhoon it brought an unusually large amount of rain. In some places two months' worth of rainfall normal for the area fell in a single day. That is why so many residents were surprised by flash floods and landslides.

More than 2.6 million people have been affected by the floods in the Philippines. Over three hundred thousand of them decided to use evacuation centers. Dozens of flights had to be canceled in the Philippines and maritime transport was also paralyzed.

In the Bicol region of the central Philippines, 29 people were reported dead in floods and landslides according to police. Another eleven died by drowning. Several others were injured and the search for four is still ongoing.

In Albay province mud and other debris flowed from the base of the Mayon volcano to nearby towns. Subsequently some houses and cars were buried by deposits of mud. By Friday afternoon the storm had already begun to move from the northwest of the Philippines with sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour. At the moment the storm is heading towards Vietnam.

Source:AlJazeera/Editorial