18 killed as Typhoon Bavi hits Philippines

Manila: The death toll from the combined effects of Typhoon Bavi and the enhanced southwest monsoon has risen to 18, while 12 people remain missing, according to the Philippine Office of Civil Defence (OCD).

Most of the deaths were caused by landslides and drowning, while the severe weather has affected about 562,000 people across the country, according to the OCD on Sunday (local time).

According to local media reports, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Typhoon Bavi has enhanced the southwest monsoon and will continue to bring heavy rains to several areas, raising the risk of flooding and landslides.

Authorities have deployed search and rescue teams and continued post-disaster response operations in affected areas, while the Philippine Coast Guard reported hundreds of stranded passengers at seaports due to rough sea conditions, reports Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, in a related development related to the storm, China has stepped up flood control and disaster relief efforts as Typhoon Bavi continued to affect large parts of the country on Sunday.

Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, made landfall twice along the coast of east China’s Zhejiang Province at 11:20 p.m. Saturday and again around midnight, then moved inland. It is expected to move northwest while gradually weakening.

Over the past 24 hours, heavy rain exceeding 50 mm has hit much of the central and southern parts of Zhejiang, covering about 42 per cent of the province’s total area.

Bavi is the strongest July typhoon to strike Zhejiang since 1949. Due to its massive size and strength, it not only churned up huge waves along the coast but also pushed deep inland, posing a high risk of flash floods, geological disasters, and urban waterlogging, said Hu Yaowen, chief engineer of the provincial department of emergency management.

IANS