Storm in the Philippines

50 dead, thousands fleeing

MANILA – The death toll from the tropical storm “Kestana” which hit the Philippines, and Manila in particular, is fifty: exceptional rains have hit the capital and caused incalculable damage to roads and homes. Thousands of people are on the run. The storm is considered one of the worsts in the last twenty years.

Many people took refuge on the roofs of their homes awaiting relief while the government declared a state of national calamity. In many cities and in the same Manila the rain has interrupted electricity causing a blackout that lasted for hours.

From the national radio, the police have appealed to the population and to the people who have taken refuge on the roofs, warning them not to try to get off on their own and wait for help.

The storm, which reached 85 kilometers per hour, then moved westward after striking many cities in the Rizal province: in this area, a city was completely submerged in water.

September 27 2009