Severe storms killed 17 Filipinos

Typhoon Aere hit the eastern Philippines in the past few days, leaving at least 17 people dead and 10,000 others evacuated.

Aere poured into the eastern province of Catanduanes on Sunday morning, causing landslides and fierce seas in Manila Bay and making the air of concern everywhere, the AP reported. A day later, the storm moved through the provinces north of Luzon island with a weakening intensity. By the end of yesterday, Aere was about 85 km from Apparri city of Cagayan northeast province.

The path of hurricane Aere. Graphic : Center for meteorological forecasting.

Initial statistics had three people killed in a house buried in landslides in Camarines Sur province, while at least 10 others in Albay, Catanduanes, Leyte and Northern Samar provinces were drowned.

In addition, there was a case of electric shock, another person died in a truck accident and the two died due to health reasons, as a result of the storm named Bebeng. A fisherman in Albay and another person in Camarines Sur is confirmed missing.

Villages in the northern Philippines on Monday were placed on alert of landslide and flash flood risks. Philippine disaster management officials asked people to stay away from the mountains to avoid landslides, and still in places where there is sufficient height to avoid flash floods.

Not only does it cause human damage, this tropical storm also negatively affects agricultural production in the eastern Philippines. However, there are no estimates of what damage has been made. Meanwhile, about 50 flights were canceled or forced to divert. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III also had to postpone his return flight after the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia.

A baby watching his father build a makeshift tent in Navotas, after Aere storm passed.
Photo: AFP

After Aere stormed northward, Taiwan's island authorities had to make a warning and demanded that people in the southeastern regions be alerted to the risk of heavy rain.This tropical storm can then reach Okinawa, Japan.

Aere is the second tropical storm to enter the Philippines this year. The island nation must receive about 20 storms and cyclones each year.