|
Typhoon Mirinae kills 12 in Philippines |
|
News -
World News
|
|
Saturday, 31 October 2009 23:43 |
|
Philippines' fourth typhoon in weeks killed 12 people before moving into the South China Sea toward Vietnam
, Philippine authorities said on Saturday.
Most of the victims were killed by trees and debris falling on their homes after the Typhoon dubbed "Mirinae" made landfall east of Manila, Philippine local media reported.
Typhoon Mirinae, with winds of 93 miles (150 kilometers) per hour and gusts of up to 115 mph (185 kph), slammed into Quezon province northeast of Manila around midnight Friday.
It quickly swept westward out to sea south of the capital and weakened into a tropical storm Saturday afternoon.
Philippine authorities evacuated more than 115,000 people in nine provinces east and south of Manila in the storm's path on main Luzon island, Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council reported.
The typhoon soaked the island nation with as much as 5.8 inches of rain and destroyed unstable houses near the coast, Philippine officials said.
The typhoon was the fourth in a month.
Since late September, typhoons Ketsana, Parma and Lupit combined killed more than 850 people, with Ketsana delivering the Philippines heaviest rainfall in 40 years.
Thousands of people are still living in evacuation centers, officials said.
Mirinae, known locally as "Santi," was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved into the South China Sea.
It was expected to hit Vietnam in about 48 hours. - Kuna
|
News 