Philippine death toll from its strongest typhoon of year tops 400

FILE PHOTO: Residents build makeshift shelters following the destruction of their houses due to by typhoon Rai, in Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, Philippines, December 21, 2021. Jilson Tiu/Greenpeace/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippine death toll from Typhoon Rai has crossed the 400 mark, the disaster agency said on Friday, as officials in some hard-hit provinces appealed for more supplies of food, water and shelter materials about two weeks after the storm struck.

Rai was the 15th and deadliest typhoon to hit the Southeast Asian nation this year.