Super Typhoon Goni: Philippines hit by year\`s most powerful storm
Typhoon Goni is barrelling across the Philippines_ bringing with it "catastrophic" 225km/h (140mph) winds and torrential rainfall. At least four people are reported to have died. Homes have been damaged and roads inundated with flash flooding. Goni made landfall as a super typhoon at Catanduanes island on Sunday at 04:50 local time. It has since weakened as it crosses the main island of Luzon_ where the capital Manila is located. But forecasters_ in a severe weather bulletin_ still warned of "catastrophic violent winds and intense to torrential rainfall" as well as flash-flooding_ landslides and "sediment-laden streamflows". Goni - known as Rolly in the Philippines - is the most powerful storm to hit the country since Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6_000 people in 2013. Images from social media show tin roofs ripped from homes along Goni's path_ and local governors have spoken of power supply outages_ roofs torn off evacuation centres_ damage to infrastructure_ flash flooding and blocked roads. Four people_ including a five-year-old child in Albay province_ are reported to have died; two drowned_ another was swept away by volcanic mud and another by a a falling tree. "The winds are fierce. We can hear the trees being pummelled. It's very strong_" Francia Mae Borras_ 21_ told AFP from her home in Albay's coastal city of Legazpi. The Philippines is used to powerful storms - it is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons a year and lost 22 people when Typhoon Molave barrelled through the same region last week. But this year preparations have been complicated by the Covid-19 virus_ which has already caused 380_739 infections and led to 7_221 deaths in the Philippines. Some 347_000 people were evacuated_ civil defence chief Ricardo Jalad said - revising down the one million figure he mentioned ahead of the storm. Ports and airports were shut_ and schools_ gyms and government-run evacuation centres were being used for covid-secure emergency shelters.
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