The pacific island nation of Philippines was dumb stumped yesterday when powerful typhoon Vongfong packing wind speeds of up to 155 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 255 kph tore through its eastern regions.
The Philippines, already staggering with 790 deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic, scrambled as the evacuation process of an estimated 200,000 people was hampered by the Covid protocols before the typhoon struck. The evacuation has triggered the fear of a sharp rise in Covid cases as many protocols were breached due to emergency evacuation procedures.
“This is really a nightmare for us here,” Ben Evardone, governor of the Eastern Samar province, said in a media briefing. “Our problem right now is where to squeeze our people, while making sure they practice social distancing”.
The typhoon was forecast to move northwestward and hit Luzon, the country’s largest island that includes the capital Manila, which remains on lockdown. Images shared on social media showed the powerful typhoon bringing intense rain and violent winds in areas along its path, toppling trees, knocking out power and destroying homes.
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