A normally congested street in Manila is almost empty as heavy rains made some roads in the capital impassable. (Photo by Mark Saludes)
An estimated 700,000 people were evacuated as typhoon Melor, locally named Nona, made another landfall in the northern part of the Philippines on Dec. 15, plunging several areas into darkness.
"[The typhoon] is devastating, but the people were prepared," said Capt. Clint Antipala, spokesman of the Philippine Army's 903rd Brigade stationed in the province of Sorsogon.
The soldier said strong winds toppled trees and structures made of light materials and caused power outages in the province.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that some 162,729 families or 733,150 individuals were evacuated in the Visayas and southern Luzon regions.
The state weather bureau reported that by 11 a.m. on Dec. 15, the typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kilometers per hour.
A 31-year old man from town of Allen in Northern Samar province was reported as the first fatality from the typhoon.
Romina Marasigan, council spokeswoman, said the number of fatalities and injuries might increase when information from the provinces begins to arrive.
Communication lines in some parts of the country were down by noon Dec. 15.
Dark clouds blanket Manila as typhoon Melor cuts across the northern part of the Philippines Dec. 15. (Photo by Joe Torres)
Marasigan said it was still premature to make an overall assessment on the typhoon’s devastation as it “is still battering Oriental Mindoro province.”
Melor, which made its first landfall on the northern tip of Northern Samar about 11 a.m. on Dec. 14, was expected to cut across the northern part of the country, bringing flooding from rainfall and storm surge.
Another potential typhoon is expected to hit the southern Philippines later this week.
An average of 20 typhoons pass through the country every year.
In 2013, typhoon Haiyan devastated the central Philippines, killing at least 7,500 people and leaving 1.4 million homeless.