MANILA - At least 109 people have been killed in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, official tallies showed Sunday, as efforts to deliver water and food to devastated islands ramp
ed up.
Arthur Yap, governor of the popular tourist destination Bohol, said on his official Facebook page that mayors on the devastated island had so far reported 73 deaths in their towns. But the toll was likely to rise as disaster agencies assessed the full extent of the storm's aftermath across the vast archipelago.Thousands of military, police, coast guard and fire personnel are being deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts in the worst-affected areas.
There has also been widespread destruction on Siargao, Dinagat and Mindanao islands, which bore the brunt of Rai when it slammed into the Philippines. "I saw how Typhoon Odette tore the provincial capitol apart, piece by piece," Dinagat PIO Crisostomo told radio station DZBB, using the local name for Rai.In Surigao City, on the northern tip of Mindanao, shattered glass from smashed windows, roofing, power lines and other debris were scattered in the streets.
President Rodrigo Duterte visited some of the hardest-hit areas on Saturday and has pledged to release two billion pesos to assist recovery efforts.
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