3 dead as typhoon hits Philippines

Manila, May 27 (IANS) Three people, including a seven-month-old baby boy, were killed in typhoon Ewiniar that destroyed homes and caused flooding in the Philippines, a spokesperson for the Philippine National Police said on Monday.

Police Colonel Jen Fajardo told reporters the victims were all from Quezon province, southeast of Manila.

A police report said an infant died of drowning after he was washed away by raging waters, while a male and a 14-year-old boy were pinned by fallen trees while sleeping at their respective homes, Xinhua news agency reported.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has yet to report deaths from Ewiniar, the first typhoon to batter the Philippines this year.

However, the agency reported that at least seven people were injured in the Bicol region, southeast of Manila, due to the typhoon.

The NDRRMC said Ewiniar affected nearly 20,000 people in four regions.

More than 2,000 displaced people have been living in government-run evacuation centres, while the rest stay with their relatives.

Quezon is one of the provinces hit hard by Ewiniar.

The Philippine State Weather Bureau PAGASA said Ewiniar maintained its strength on Monday while moving northwestward over the Philippine Sea at 10 km per hour, with peak winds of 140 km per hour near the centre and gusts of up to 170 km per hour.

Ewiniar, which first made landfall on Friday, is expected to leave the Philippines by Wednesday afternoon or evening.

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries globally, mainly due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Pacific typhoon belt. On average, the archipelagic country experiences 20 typhoons yearly, some intense and destructive.