Typhoon Penha kills 12, displaces thousands in Philippines

ISTANBUL

Typhoon Penha killed at least 12 people in the Philippines this week due to flooding and rain-induced incidents, displacing thousands, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Saturday, adding that the number of fatalities is still being confirmed.

OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo said nine deaths were reported in Northern Mindanao, including four members of a family killed in a landslide, according to the Inquirer newspaper.

More than 455,000 residents were affected by the typhoon, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Authorities moved 16,528 families to 480 evacuation centers, while many others took shelter elsewhere.

On Monday, the typhoon, known locally as Basyang, was first detected as a low-pressure area east of northeastern Mindanao, outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. However, it intensified into a tropical depression the next day.

On Wednesday, it strengthened into a tropical storm and made landfall on Thursday over Bayabas municipality in Surigao del Sur province on Mindanao Island.

While it weakened into a low-pressure area on Saturday after making five landfalls across Mindanao and the Visayas, it is still forecast to bring heavy rainfall to parts of the Mimaropa region, Mindoro Island, Negros Island, Western Visayas, and Luzon Island.

Heavy rainfall may also continue over parts of southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas in the coming days.

On Friday, authorities said Tropical Storm Basyang forced the cancellation of dozens of flights, stranding thousands of passengers at airports. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported that 32 flights had been canceled since Thursday, affecting 7,737 travelers.

Separately, in Australia, tropical cyclone Mitchell is forecast to intensify to a category three storm over Saturday night, according to the ABC.

Residents across the Karratha and Pilbara regions of Western Australia have been urged to take shelter.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned that winds of up to 220 kilometers (136 miles) per hour could hit coastal areas.