As Typhoon Vongfong hits Philippines, coronavirus ensures evacuations carry heightened risk

The Philippines is still trying to contain the coronavirus outbreak by urging people to stay at home and avoid large crowds

However, tens of thousands of people will need to be evacuated, exposing them to potential infection in overcrowded shelters

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Philippine fishermen at a seaport in Navotas city. Photo: EPA

Published: 3:49pm, 14 May 2020Updated: 12:04am, 15 May 2020

A strong typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines on Thursday, knocking out power and threatening food crops in a new emergency for a country already overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Typhoon Vongfong blew into Eastern Samar province at noon with fierce rain and wind as tens of thousands of people were being evacuated to safety in provinces along its northwestward path through the country’s most populous region. There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.

After landfall, the storm maintained its maximum sustained winds of about 155km/h but its gusts intensified to 255km/h, weather agency administrator Vicente Malano said.

The typhoon arrived as the Philippines is trying to fight Covid-19 outbreaks largely by locking Filipinos in their homes and prohibiting gatherings that can set off infections. More than 11,800 infections, including 790 deaths, have been reported in the country.

“This is a double whammy,” Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone said by telephone. “Psychologically, the people are already struggling with Covid and now we have this typhoon.”

Evardone said the entire province lost power, apparently due to downed electricity lines. Six northern towns could not be reached by mobile phone or two-way radio, and the storm hit during the harvest season for rice and corn, he said.