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Typhoons leave a trail of destruction
by Vincent McKee
 Jetsam: a Filipino boy scavenges among the debris left by Typhoon Mitag in Manila Bay on Monday REUTERS |
| AGAINST a backgound of political instability, a familiar natural hazard has returned to torment the Philippines over the past ten days in the form of two typhoons. Last week, Typhoon Lando struck parts of Metro Manila, before moving down the central Visayas region, trailing destruction all the way to the southern island of Mindanao. It left 14 people dead, more than 200 injured, and an estimated 50,000 homeless, and also destroyed or damaged 8000 homes. Then, just as Lando moved out over the South China Sea, a replacement, Typhoon Mitag, struck the northern island of Luzon, causing the deaths of 22 people, including two fishermen who were swept away on high tide. As many as one million people were evacuated, while three provinces, Isabela, Cagayan, and Illocas Norte suffered a loss of rice and mango crops worth $10 million. A combination of government agencies, the Philippines Red Cross, and church action groups are co-operating to alleviate the consequences of the disaster. As has happened before, however, their efforts are hampered by a scarcity of funds, as well as the destruction of bridges and roads in the affected northern areas, which has forced them to send relief supplies by air. |
