Typhoon Hagupit tears its way through central Philippines

A powerful typhoon tore through the central Philippines on Sunday, bringing howling winds that toppled trees and power poles and cut off communications in areas where thousands were killed by a massive storm just over a year ago.

More than one million people had fled to shelters away from coastal areas and landslide-prone villages by the time Typhoon Hagupit made landfall on Saturday night, in what a UN agency said was one of the world’s biggest peacetime evacuations.

Alfred Romnualdez, mayor of Tacloban, said although more than 48,000 had fled to shelters, damage to the city appeared to have been minor.

“Thank God, the typhoon spared us and we have no reported casualties,” Mr Romualdez said. “By the end of the day we expect the people to return to their homes from shelter areas.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/typhoon-hagupit-tears-its-way-through-central-philippines-1.2028925