The typhoon that hit the Philippines in as many weeks caused major flooding in Manila on Thursday, November 12, 2020.
The storm-battered was trapping some people on rooftops and claiming at least one life in another part of the country. At least one person died and three others were missing in Camarines Norte province, the country’s Office of Civil Defense said late Wednesday.
As information, Typhoon Vamco packed winds of up to 155 kilometers (96 miles) per hour as it swept across Luzon after making landfall overnight, with authorities warning of landslides and potentially deadly storm surges along the coast.
Then, heavy rain effectively shut down Manila, the sprawling capital of 12 million people, and surrounding areas.
Before, in 2009, the flooding caused by Vanco brought back memories of the devastating Typhoon Ketsana, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Ondoy, that hit in 2009 and claimed hundreds of lives.
The weather service warned of life-threatening storm surges several meters (feet) high along with parts of the coast, including in Manila, that could inundate low-lying areas.
The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons every year, which typically wipe out harvests, homes, and infrastructure in already impoverished areas.
