Dec. 26 (UPI) — At least 11 people are dead Thursday after a typhoon battered central Philippines over Christmas leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Typhoon Phanfone, known locally as Ursula, hit the Philippines with maximum sustained winds of 93 mph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
The storm made its first of seven landfalls Tuesday as it battered the central Philippine islands, ripping roofs off homes, felling trees, flooding streets and knocking out power to dozens of cities.
Local disaster management officials on Thursday said eight people were reported dead in Visayas, one of three areas hardest hit by the storm, and the Office of Civil Defense reported three deaths in Leyte and Biliran islands, Rappler reported.
At least 87 cities and municipalities lost power due to the typhoon, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, adding that 24 of those areas have since had power restored.
Meanwhile, nearly 16,000 people were stranded at ports and a total of 115 domestic flights were canceled over the three days the storm hit the Philippines, according to the NDRRMC.
The typhoon has since passed over the archipelago and was moving west at 9 mph. It was forecast to exit its area of responsibility on Saturday, PAGASA said.
