Typhoon ravages northern Philippines

Typhoon Vongfong damaged hundreds of homes, toppled trees, and left at least one person dead after striking the Philippines on Thursday. More than 145,000 people sought refuge in emergency shelters. Forecasters said the typhoon still poses a danger to low-lying and coastal villages before it blows out of the country’s northern region on Sunday.

Have relief efforts begun? The coronavirus pandemic has delayed evacuations because workers need to wear protective suits and cannot transport villagers in large numbers, according to Civil Defense Director Claudio Yucot. He noted that one shelter that could have hosted 40 families only held about four due to physical distancing regulations. As of Friday, the Philippines had more than 12,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 806 deaths and more than 2,400 recoveries.

Dig deeper: Read my previous report in The Sift on authorities’ concerns over disaster response during the pandemic.