MANILA – Rescue teams were trying to reach isolated villages in the southern Philippines on Wednesday after a powerful out-of-season typhoon tore through the region, leaving more than 200 people dead, according to local officials.
Typhoon Bopha packed winds of up to 100 miles per hour when it struck Tuesday, bringing torrential rains that flattened entire villages, leaving thousands homeless, as well as washing out roads and bridges needed by rescue personnel trying to reach stricken regions.
Officials in two of the hardest-hit areas told local news outlets that the death toll had surpassed 200, though the national government said Wednesday afternoon that just over 100 deaths had been confirmed. Officials said that figure was likely to increase as rescue teams reached devastated remote villages. In one area alone, Compostela Valley, more than 200 people were missing.
The storm was weakening and leaving the Philippines on Wednesday. The Philippines is hit by more than 20 powerful tropical storms per year, but Bopha struck remote communities off the usual storm path that are not accustomed to such strong typhoons.
In December of last year, Tropical Storm Washi killed more than 1,200 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Officials this year called for mandatory early evacuations of vulnerable communities.
Typhoon Said to Have Killed Hundreds in Philippines
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Typhoon Said to Have Killed Hundreds in Philippines
