The government has declared a state of emergency after the powerful Typhoon Rai passed through the Philippines, killing at least 375.
“The declaration of a state of emergency will accelerate government and private sector rescue, relief and reconstruction efforts,” President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday.
The tropical storm that swept over the island nation at the end of last week has affected some 2.4 million people, according to the United Nations Coordination Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). An estimated 684,000 people were displaced, and 139,000 homes were damaged.
‘Rai’ made landfall last Thursday with winds of up to 195 km/h and left a trail of destruction. Numerous buildings were razed to the ground, crops and crops were severely damaged. The storm also damaged several airports. On Saturday, the tropical storm – locally called ‘Odette’ – moved on.
The Philippines is hit by an average of about 20 typhoons every year. The worst typhoon to date, Super Typhoon Haiyan, killed more than 6,300 people in November 2013 and displaced 4 million people.