"Typhoon lashes Philippines, spares Manila" Associated Press July 16, 2014
MANILA — Typhoon Rammasun strengthened overnight, leaving at least one person dead and knocking out power in many areas, but its fierce wind shifted slightly Wednesday to spare the Philippine capital, Manila, and densely populated northern provinces from being directly pummeled, officials said.
That's the second one that has roared through in about a week.
Still, the typhoon’s 93 mile-per-hour wind and blinding gusts brought down trees and electric posts and ripped off roofs across the capital of 12 million people. While there have been no reports of massive damages and flooding, officials warned the public the danger wasn’t over.
A woman died after being hit by a fallen post in Northern Samar and three fishermen were reported missing in Catanduanes. The provinces were lashed by Rammasun after it made landfall in Albay province late Tuesday.
Instead of slamming into Manila, the typhoon veered slightly westward and struck Cavite province just south of the capital and was barreling toward the Bataan Peninsula at mid-morning. But Rammasun’s 310-mile-wide band of wind and rain still hammered a wide swath of the capital.
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Looks like they got through it okay, huh?
"Typhoon kills 20 in Philippines, spares Manila" by JIM GOMEZ and OLIVER TEVES | Associated Press July 17, 2014
MANILA— A typhoon blew out of the northern Philippines on Wednesday after causing at least 20 deaths, knocking out power in entire provinces, damaging two parked jetliners, and forcing nearly half a million people to flee from its lethal wind and rains, officials said.
The eye of Typhoon Rammasun made a late shift away from Manila, but its peak winds of 93 miles per hour and gusts up to 115 miles per hour forced down trees and electric posts and ripped off roofs across the capital of 12 million people that largely shut down ahead of the deluge.
Although Rammasun packed far less power than Typhoon Haiyan, haunting memories of last year’s horrific storm devastation prompted many villagers to rapidly move to safety at the prodding of authorities.
I wanted to treat you, but it's hopeless because I can't get a score from my Boston Globe.
Of the half a million people affected by Rammasun, more than 423,000 fled to emergency shelters, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
In a shantytown at the edge of Manila Bay, hundreds of people fled when strong winds started to tear tin roofs off their shanties. Mayor Joseph Estrada said that officials staged antidisaster drills two weeks ago precisely to prevent massive deaths during a catastrophe, and that he was relieved only a few residents sustained injuries Wednesday.
While the low human toll has been attributed to the typhoon skipping Manila, Estrada believed the public’s higher awareness of antidisaster maneuvers saved many lives. He acknowledged that the wind and rain were not as deadly as many had feared and said the storm provided a good opportunity for citizens to hone their survival skills.
Yeah, government is great.
So how is that rebuilding job from Haiyan going?
‘‘It was like a drill,’’ Estrada said.
Gone live?
Officials reported at least 20 deaths elsewhere, mostly people pinned by falling trees and electrical posts. A fire volunteer died when he was hit by a block of concrete while hauling down a Philippine flag in suburban Pasig city, said Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Three fishermen were reported missing in Catanduanes, near Albay province, where Rammasun made landfall late Tuesday.
At Manila’s international airport, the left wing of a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 was damaged after strong gusts pushed it against a bridge, manager Angel Honrado said. No one was injured.
Are Ukraine thinking what I am thinking?
One other parked jetliner reportedly sustained minor damages.
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