Storm Megi Causes Many Deaths In the Philippines
Rescue workers carry a victim of a landslide in a body bag from the devastated village. Photo: Bobbie Alota/ AFP
According to the latest report by the BBC, at least 167 people have died in landslides and floods since Tropical Storm Megi devastated the Philippines last Sunday. A further 1.9 million people have been adversely affected according to an estimation by the national disaster agency. Authorities are struggling to distribute aid to tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering in evacuation centers, as the death toll continues to rise.
Last Sunday, Megi, the first tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, made landfall with sustained winds of up to 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 49 mph, and has since dissipated. Tens of thousands have been evacuated, and agricultural damage caused by the storm is estimated at more than $8 million (423.8 million Philippine pesos) as of Wednesday, according to CNN.
Storm Megi caused several days of heavy rains in various parts of the Visayas and northern Mindanao. Among the coastal provinces that have been the most affected, the eastern province of Leyte was said to be hit the hardest in a report by Rappler. Baybay city, a mountainous area prone to landslides in the eastern Philippines, has seen the majority of casualties as of Wednesday, according to Reuters. Baybay City’s latest situational report counted 86 casualties and “tentative” missing figure of 117.
The rescue effort was hampered by rain although conditions eased on Tuesday. According to Reuters, images on social media showed bodies being pulled from under thick mud during rescue operations. Meanwhile, the survivors of hard-hit regions are facing shortages of drinking water and healthcare capacity limitations. Baybay Mayor Jose Carlos Cari told DZMM radio station, “There is aid like food and medicines but the problem is management in evacuation centers.”
Rescue personnel assist a man onto a rescue boat after Megi hit, in Capiz Province, Philippines on April 12, 2022. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard/via Reuters
The Philippines, ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change, is hit by an average of 20 storms a year. It has been only four months since the Category 5 Super typhoon Rai hit the region in December 2021, killing more than 400 and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, killed 6,300 in 2013.
According to a report on GlobalVoices, many were surprised to learn about the disaster since it is unusual for strong storms like Megi to hit the Philippines until the second half of the year. "It's supposed to be the dry season but maybe climate change has upended that," said Marissa Miguel Cano, public information officer for Baybay City.
GlobalVoices further reported that many Filipinos weren't aware of the destruction for days, since most local social media reports and news coverage have been consumed with the ongoing national election. For many, Storm Megi also interrupted Holy Week, one of the busiest travel periods of the year in the Philippines.