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Typhoon Rammasun death toll climbs
Date :
16 /
07 /
2014
Author :
Jim Linton - VK3PC
About 20 people are dead and many left homeless after Typhoon Rammasun, which means 'thunder of god', hit the Philippines. With winds and heavy rain it closed the capital of Manila on Wednesday, before moving north-west out to the South-China Sea.
The Philippine Amateur Radio Association President, Thelma Pascua DU1IVT, activated the Ham Emergency Radio Operator (HERO) network on 7095 kHz. It worked closely with other responding agencies.
The storm on Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in the evacuation of thousands of people, closed businesses, schools, 60 flights were cancelled and ferry traffic halted. The eye of Typhoon Rammasun passed to the south of Manila after moving through the eastern islands of the archipelago to bring down trees and power lines, caused electrocutions and blackouts.
Thelma DU1IVT reported that in Manila she had winds of 150-185kph for hours. At least 40 provinces and cities were under a storm alert. The government took every precaution to minimise the deaths. Super Typhoon Haiyan last November killed at least at least 6,300 people and 1,000 are still missing.
About 20 storms reach the Philippines each year making it one of the world's most disaster-prone areas.
- Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.
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