Tropical Storm Fung-Wong: Philippines Authorities Evacuate 200,000 as Storm Hits Manila
Five killed in severe flooding as tropical storm brings one month's rain in one day
More than 200,000 people in the Philippines have been evacuated as a tropical storm hit Manila and the area around the country's capital, killing five people and causing severe flooding.
Weather forecasters say that tropical storm Fung-Wong, which hit the country's northernmost provinces on Friday, has since gained strength and is expected to on Saturday with torrential monsoon rains and strong winds.
The national disaster risk reduction and management council reported that tropical storm Fung-Wong had affected more than 700,000 people in metropolitan Manila and northern and central provinces, forcing more than 205,000 to evacuate. At least 86,000 people were displaced in Manila on Friday, as Fung-Wong flooded the ground floors of many homes, forcing residents to seek refuge on upper floors and rooftops.
The rain and an unrelated radar malfunction combined to divert, delay or cancel dozens of domestic and international flights at the capital's airport.
Imee Marcos, the governor of Ilocos Norte province in the north-west of the main island of Luzon, said 12 hours of fierce winds and heavy rains had blown off roofs, toppled trees and flooded highways.
She told the Associated Press on Saturday: "I am basically holed up in my bedroom with a generator and several computers and telephones because I can't even cross the street. I told everyone to hunker down. There is very little we can do."
Government forecasters said nearly a month's worth of rain fell overnight when Fung-Wong hit. Aldczar Aurelio, a meteorologist, said 26.8cm (10.5in) of rain fell on the capital in a 24-hour period ending early on Friday – more than half the amount that caused the worst flooding in metropolitan Manila for 40 years in 2009.
Fung-Wong is expected to leave Philippine territory by Sunday and track toward Taiwan and southern Japan.
Typhoon Kalmaegi hit the same northern Philippine region last week, leaving eight people dead and displacing more than 366,000.
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