THE PHILIPPINES: At least 100 people are now known to have died after a devastating storm struck the Philippines on Thursday.
Super Typhoon Rai - with winds of about 195km/h (120mph) - sent some 300,000 people running for safety when it hit the country’s south-eastern islands.
Initial aerial images of the worst-hit regions show extensive damage.
But establishing the scale of the losses has proved difficult, as communication to a number of areas has been cut off.
Arthur Yap, Governor of the popular tourist destination Bohol, said on Sunday that less than half his region’s 48 mayors had managed to make contact as yet.
Bohol’s current death toll stands at 49, Mr Yap said, with at least 10 more missing.
On Saturday, the Philippine’s disaster agency said the reported death toll stood at 31, not including Bohol. To assist with search and rescue efforts, thousands of military, coast guard and fire personnel have been deployed in the country’s worst-affected areas.
Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has conducted an aerial inspection of the areas ravaged by the storm.
Videos posted on social media by his aides show extensive damage to Siargao, Dinagat and Mindanao islands. - JAPAN TODAY
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