Philippines cleans up after Typhoon Yinxing slams north coast
Authorities cleared uprooted trees and debris in the northern Philippines on Friday as Typhoon Yinxing blew out to sea after pounding the coast overnight, ripping roofs from homes and forcing thousands to seek shelter.
But while nearly 30,000 people took cover in government-run facilities in the days and hours before Yinxing made landfall, there were no reported casualties from the typhoon, which came just two weeks after a major storm killed more than 150.
Yinxing's 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour winds knocked down power lines, tore trees from the ground and shattered windows as it slammed into the country's north coast on Thursday, the national weather agency, residents and rescuers said.
Officials reported 242.6 millimeters (0.80 ft) of rain dumped in a 24-hour window.
"Many trees were uprooted. There was also soil erosion in some areas. We are lucky they were not full-blown landslides," said Cagayan province disaster chief Rueli Rapsing, whose agency has so far reported no casualties.
In the province's Pamplona municipality, strong winds sent roofs flying through the air and residents scrambling for shelter.
"The fierce wind that we experienced last night was the strongest I've ever felt and seen in this town," 35-year-old resident Patrick Maquiraya told AFP by phone.
A man picks up a debris in the aftermath of Typhoon Yinxing in Ballesteros, province of Cagayan.