Typhoon leaves extensive damage in Philippines

Typhoon Vongfong’s ferocious winds and rain left at least one dead in the Philippines and damaged hundreds of coronavirus isolation facilities and homes, in five hard-hit eastern towns alone, a governor said Friday.

Gov. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar province, where the typhoon slammed ashore, said some residents were weeping in desperation after their houses were destroyed or blown away in the towns he inspected.

In the outlying region of Bicol, northwest of Eastern Samar, more than 145,000 people were riding out the weakening typhoon in emergency shelters on Friday after a mass evacuation that was complicated and slowed by the coronavirus.

Vongfong weakened into a severe tropical storm after hitting land on Thursday and was blowing northwest toward the populous main northern island of Luzon, government forecasters said.

The typhoon’s maximum sustained wind speed dropped to 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour with gusts of 150 kph (93 mph) but it remains dangerous especially in coastal and low-lying villages, forecasters said.

Vongfong was expected to blow out of the country’s north on Sunday.