Tens of thousands were stranded at shuttered ports or evacuation centres at the height of the festive season on Wednesday, and residents cowered in rain-soaked homes as Phanfone leapt from one small island to another for the second day. The typhoon crumpled houses like accordions, toppled trees and blacked-out cities in the Philippines’ most storm-prone region. More than 25,000 people remained stranded at ports on Christmas Day with ferry services still shut down, the coast guard said. “They were safer at the evacuation centres. “Obviously, they were unable to celebrate Christmas properly because some spent the night at evacuation centres,” rescue official Cecille Bedonia told AFP by phone from Iloilo city.

Source: Punch December 25, 2019 07:52 UTC