Super typhoon kills at least 10 in Philippines

Typhoon Goni killed at least 10 people in the eastern Philippines on Sunday while nearly one million people were evacuated to emergency shelters, according to The Associated Press.

Nine people in the province of Albay were killed and at least one was located in Catanduanes. 

The storm tore through the Catanduanes province with winds up to 140 mph and gusts of 174 mph, destroying about 150 houses, AP reported. The homes were damaged by volcanic mudflows triggered by the storm.

The typhoon touched part of the country’s capital city Manila, but left it relatively untouched. Manila’s main airport was shut down for one day, canceling dozens of international and domestic flights.

Goni is one of the most powerful typhoons to occur this year. The storm hit provinces that were still recovering from a deadly typhoon one week ago. The Philippines is also in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic with the second most cases in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia, according the the AP.

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world, being located in the so-called “Ring of Fire” where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions happen frequently, AP noted. 

On average, the nation experiences about 20 typhoons a year.  In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and left widespread destruction.