Death toll due to typhoon Conson rises to 17 in the Philippines
Bangkok, Sep 12 (EFE).- Death toll due to the passage of the typhoon Conson over the Philippines increased to 17, the authorities reported Sunday.
Conson affected the central part of the Philippine archipelago between Tuesday and Thursday and is currently in Vietnam after having reduced to a strong tropical storm.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in its latest update that at least seven people remain missing, while 24 others were injured by the typhoon.
Moreover, some 9,000 buildings and 168 roads have been damaged, causing losses of about 12.5 million pesos ($12.5 million), according to NDRRMC.
According to the Philippine authorities, more than 29,800 people have been displaced and are living in government shelters or with family members and acquaintances.
The Vietnamese authorities, on their part have issued alerts over the risk from strong winds and torrential rains caused by Conson.
On Saturday, another typhoon, Chanthu, grazed the southern tip of the Philippine archipelago without causing major damage or loss of life.
Chanthu is currently located near the eastern coast of the island of Taiwan.
An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines yearly, the most destructive so far having been Super Typhoon Haiyan – the largest known to make landfall – which struck Samar and Leyte islands in November 2013, killing some 7,000 people and leaving 200,000 people homeless.
The Philippines is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change due to natural disasters and sits on the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire,” an area that sees about 90 percent of the planet’s seismic and volcanic activity. EFE
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