The human toll caused by Typhoon Rai rises to 208 dead in the Philippines, the national police said on Monday (December 20), making this powerful natural phenomenon one of the deadliest in the country in recent years.
At least 239 people were injured and 52 are missing as a result of Rai's devastating passage through the southern and central regions of the archipelago, the national police added.
More than 300,000 people fled their homes Thursday as the typhoon made landfall in the center of the country.
The Philippine branch of the Red Cross has reported "
complete carnage
" in coastal areas.
The storm ripped roofs, uprooted trees, knocked down utility poles, demolished wooden houses and flooded villages - reminiscent of "
super typhoon
" Haiyan that hit the archipelago in 2013.
Called Yolanda in the Philippines, Haiyan was the deadliest cyclone on record in the country, killing more than 7,300 or missing.
One of the islands hardest hit by Rai is Bohol - known especially for its tarsiers, a primate endemic to the archipelago - where at least 80 people have died, said provincial governor Arthur Yap, who updates his own record on his Facebook page.
Significant destruction was also recorded on the islands of Siargao, Dinagat and Mindanao, the most affected Thursday when the storm hit the country with winds of 195 kilometers per hour. At least ten people have died in Dinagat, Jeffrey Crisostomo, the provincial press officer, confirmed to AFP on Sunday.
The “
SOS
”
distress signal
was painted on a road in the tourist town of General Luna on the island of Siargao - where surfers and vacationers flocked before Christmas - as people struggled to find food and water.
"
There is no more water, we have a shortage of water, the first day, there was already looting in our neighborhood,
" said Marja O'Donnell, owner of a hotel complex in Siargao, at CNN Philippines.
Communication in several parts of the affected areas was cut off, making it difficult for rescue workers to assess the extent of the damage.
Electricity is also out of service, affecting water filling stations and ATMs.
Thousands of military, police, coastguard and firefighters have been deployed to carry out search and rescue work.
Food, water and medical supplies were provided, transported by coast guard vessels.
Equipment to clear roads blocked by utility poles and fallen trees has also been sent.
More and more violent typhoons
President Rodrigo Duterte visited some affected areas on Saturday and pledged an aid fund of two billion pesos (35 million euros).
Rai is particularly late in the season.
Most tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean form between July and October.
Scientists have long warned that typhoons get stronger and stronger as global warming accelerates.
The Philippines, ranked among the countries most exposed to climate change, is swept by nearly 20 tropical storms or typhoons each year which typically destroy crops, homes and infrastructure in already poor regions.