Death toll from Typhoon Rammasun on the rise in PH

Screengrab from the MTSAT video shows the eye of Typhoon Glenda (Rammasun.)

Six days after Typhoon Rammasun (locally known as Glenda) battered the island of Luzon in the Philippines, the death toll is still rising and scores of people remain without electrical power in their homes, officials said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in a statement that fatalities now number 97, while the agency continues to receive reports of casualties of the July 16 typhoon from remote areas.

Scores of the victims were either killed by falling trees and debris, while others were knocked down by the storm’s powerful winds. Meanwhile, six fishermen who went out to sea remain missing.

The Department of Energy said that while power has been restored to many areas, approximately 280,000 Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) customers are still without power, with over 13,000 of these affected homes located in the Metro Manila area. Several surrounding provinces are likewise still without electricity.

According to the department, Meralco hopes to have electricity restored to all affected areas in the capital and nearby vicinities by Wednesday. It also added that there is a possibility that areas outside the national capital region will have to wait until the end of the month for electrical services to resume.