Children are evacuated from a flooded area by coast guard personnel in Lucena, Quezon Province, amid heavy rain brought by tropical storm Ewiniar. - AFP
MANILA: Philippine authorities said at least seven people had been killed by tropical storm Ewiniar (local name Aghon), which hit the country on the weekend, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Tuesday (May 28) that search and rescue efforts would continue.
Ewiniar brought strong winds and heavy rain in provinces south of the capital, shutting down airports and seaports and disrupting power supply.
The storm was heading towards east coast of Japan on Tuesday, with sustained winds of up to 130 kph (80 mph) and gustiness of up to 160 kph (100 mph).
A 14-year-old girl was confirmed dead in southern Misamis Oriental province after a tree fell on a parked vehicle she was boarding. Another student was injured, the national disaster agency said in a report.
In Quezon province, east of the capital, six people were reported dead, police major Elizabeth Capistrano told DWPM radio station. Among the deceased were two men, aged 56 and 22, who drowned, and a 39-year-old man who was hit by a falling tree.
Marcos, speaking ahead of a state visit to Brunei, said the storm affected nearly 27,000 people, and disrupted operations of three airports and nine seaports over the weekend.
Ewiniar was the first tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year. The nation sees an average of 20 storms annually, often resulting in heavy rains, strong winds, and deadly landslides. - Reuters
