Voice of America
26 Sep 2022, 17:35 GMT+10
MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Noru blew out of the northern Philippines on Monday, leaving five rescuers dead, causing floods and power outages and forcing officials to suspend classes and government work in the capital and outlying provinces.
The most powerful typhoon to hit the country this year slammed into the coast in Burdeos town in Quezon province before nightfall on Sunday then weakened as it barreled overnight across the main Luzon region, where thousands of people were moved to emergency shelters, some forcibly, officials said.
Gov. Daniel Fernando of Bulacan province, north of Manila, said five rescuers, who were using a boat to help residents trapped in floodwaters, were hit by a collapsed wall then apparently drowned in the rampaging waters.
"They were living heroes who were helping save the lives of our countrymen amid this calamity," Fernando told DZMM radio network. "This is really very sad."
Thousands evacuate, seek emergency shelter
On Polillo Island in northeastern Quezon province, a man was injured after falling off the roof of his house, officials said.
More than 17,000 people were moved to emergency shelters from high-risk communities prone to tidal surges, flooding and landslides in Quezon alone, officials said.
More than 3,000 people were evacuated to safety in Metropolitan Manila, which was lashed by fierce wind and rain overnight. Classes and government work were suspended Monday in the capital and outlying provinces as a precaution although the morning skies were sunny.
A resident wades through chest-deep floodwater from to Typhoon Noru in San Miguel town, Bulacan province, Philippines, Sept. 26, 2022. Typhoon Noru blew out of the northern Philippines on Monday, leaving some people dead, causing floods and power outages.
The entire northern provinces of Aurora and Nueva Ecija, which were hit by the typhoon, remained without power Monday and repair crews were at work to bring back electricity, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla told President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a televised meeting he called to assess damages and coordinate disaster-response.
Marcos Jr. praised officials for evacuating thousands of people to safety as a precaution before the typhoon hit which prevented large number of casualties despite the Noru's potentially disastrous force.
Gusts up to 240 kph
Noru underwent an "explosive intensification" over the open Pacific Ocean before it hit the Philippines, Vicente Malano, who heads the country's weather agency, told The Associated Press on Sunday.
From sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour on Saturday, Noru was a super typhoon just 24 hours later with sustained winds of 195 kilometers and gusts of up to 240 kph at its peak late Sunday.
By Monday morning, Noru had sustained winds of 140 kph and gusts of 170 kph and was moving westward in the South China Sea at 30 kph, according to the weather agency.
About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. The archipelago also lies in the "Pacific Ring of Fire," a region along most of the Pacific Ocean rim where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur, making the Southeast Asian nation one of the world's most disaster-prone.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest recorded tropical cyclones in the world, left more than 7,300 people dead or missing, flattened entire villages, swept ships inland and displaced more than 5 million in the central Philippines - well to the south of Noru's path.
A family evacuates to higher ground as they wade through floodwaters from Typhoon Noru in San Miguel town, Bulacan province, Philippines, Sept. 26, 2022.
Get a daily dose of Cambodian Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Cambodian Times.
More InformationZURICH, Switzerland: In one of the largest legal awards ever against Credit Suisse, the bank was ordered to pay $926 ...
DETROIT, Michigan: Amid broader global concerns over semiconductor chip supplies, sanctions and national security, Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao said ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The White House announced this week that President Joe Biden has chosen US Air Force chief General Charles ...
GUAM: After Typhoon Mawar brought strong winds and torrential rains, large areas of the US Western Pacific territory of Guam ...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: In one of the largest known Chinese cyber-espionage campaigns against American critical infrastructure, a state-sponsored ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, has said the company could consider leaving Europe if it could ...
The Washington Capitals are expected to hire Spencer Carbery as their new head coach, multiple media outlets reported on Tuesday. ...
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], May 30 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik bought the first ticket for the upcoming Intercontinental Cup ...
MediawireNew Delhi [India], May 30: In a remarkable move that combines their core value of offering financial protection to families ...
Paris [France], May 30 (ANI): Former world no. 3 Elina Svitolina triumphed in her first-round match against Italian 26th seed ...
PNNMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 30: Women's cricket has gained much traction over the last few years. The laurels and feats ...
Dudenhofen [Germany], May 30 (ANI): Indian cyclist Esow Alben won the bronze medal in the elite men's keirin event at ...