Hagupit Hits Philippines, 21 Confirmed Dead

The Philippines is receiving more than its fair share of disasters as it is once again buffeted by a powerful typhoon. Known locally as Ruby, Typhoon Hagupit made landfall into the eastern Philippines late Saturday.

Fearing a repeat of last year's devastation caused by Category 5 "super typhoon" Haiyan that killed thousands, the country made sure that it is better prepared this time. Authorities organized one of the largest peacetime evacuations in the Philippine history, with up to a million people taking shelter in evacuation centers, reported the Gulf News.

"We're happy that we've learned our lessons from our past experiences. This is a good sign," said Gwendolyn Pang, secretary general of the Philippine Red Cross according to the RTE News.

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas said in a televised government disaster meeting in Samar: "We saw that with preparation and being alert we prevented tragedy and harm, we took our countrymen away from harm."

"It is sad to hear news of deaths, but this is very low, way below what the potential was," he added.

There was a collective sigh of relief that the typhoon does not seem to be as severe and violent as Typhoon Haiyan.

"We have confirmed reports that 21 people died in Eastern Samar, 16 of them in Borongan," said Pang. 

Since Hagupit made landfall, two were reported killed outside Samar, the third largest island in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Manila confirmed only two dead and three injured.

Despite the relief on the minimal casualty count, a major operation is necessary to clear debris, restore power and distribute goods to people whose houses and properties were damaged.

Although Hagupit was downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm on Monday morning, with winds of up to 105km/h and gusts of up to 135km/h, the Philippines is still preparing for worst-case scenarios as the typhoon nears the capital city, Manila. Because of its slow movement, the typhoon is expected to dump large amount of rain on areas in its path that may cause landslides and flash floods.