On Christmas Day, the Philippines were struck by a powerful typhoon called Phanfone. A week later, on 31 December, the authorities of the Asian nation released a devastating toll from the event. At least 50 people were killed by the passage of the cyclone, with around 150 more injured. This makes Phanfone the most catastrophic weather event of 2019 for the country.

80,000 people are still living in makeshift shelters in the Philippines

The typhoon brought torrential rain and wind gusts that reached nearly 200 kilometres per hour. On the central island of the Visayas archipelago, 378,000 homes were destroyed, affecting a total of more than two million people.

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Typhoon Phanfone has battered the central Philippines

Thousands of people have been left stranded, as ferries and flights are cancelled

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♥ 400💬 17 25 dic 2019 · Apri su X →

Of these, several days on, 80,000 people are still living in the open or in makeshift shelters, waiting to find accommodation. The national disaster management agency said it is working to support families who have no housing available.

Phanfone causes tens of millions of euros in damage

Known locally as Ursula, the cyclone was the 21st to strike the Philippines since the start of 2019. Previously, Typhoon Kammuri had been the most violent, with thirteen deaths and more than 8,000 homes destroyed. Many such events have caused devastating damage to crops and infrastructure, thereby worsening the already often dire conditions of a nation that still faces alarming poverty rates.

According to reports in the international press, citing the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Phanfone may have caused tens of millions of euros in damage.