Strongest typhoon of 2020 kills 7 in Philippines

Kids play at a temporary shelter in Manila

A powerful super typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines with ferocious winds on Sunday, killing at least seven people and causing volcanic mudflows to bury houses before weakening as it blew toward Manila, where the capital's main airport was shut down, officials said. According to a CNN report, it was the world's strongest typhoon this year.

Typhoon Goni hit the Catanduanes province at dawn with sustained winds of 225 km per hour and gusts of 280 kph. It was barrelling west toward densely populated regions, including Manila, and provinces still recovering from a typhoon that hit a week ago and left at least 22 people dead. Governor Al Francis Bichara said at least four people were killed in his hard-hit province of Albay.

Residents stand on their house's roof after a river overflowed on Sunday. Pics/AFP

Villagers fled to safety as the typhoon approached, he said. Ricardo Jalad, who heads the government's disaster-response agency, said the typhoon's destructive force was capable of causing major damage. Goni weakened before nightfall, with sustained winds of 165 kph and gusts of up to 230 kph, but remained dangerously strong, forecasters said.

1m
Approximate no. of people evacuated and moved to shelters

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