Typhoon Megi, which hit the Philippines on Monday has caused a swathe of destruction and left over 200,000 people homeless. Officials have yet to release an estimated cost for the damage to infrastructure and property.
The storm is considered one of the worst in years, and was originally thought to be heading for Vietnam, but the northern Philippines copped the brunt of the storm’s fury.
The typhoon is now heading north and is expected to hit China. Thousands of people have been evacuated from China’s Hainan Island as well as in the Guangdong province. There is also a chance that the storm could move further north still, and hit Taiwan.
After the ferocity of the storm’s impact in the Philippines, people in the Guangdong province and in Hong Kong have been stockpiling supplies ahead of the oncoming storm, which is said to be gathering strength as it crosses the South China Sea. Ships and fishing vessels are under orders to stay in harbor in Hong Kong, ahead of winds predicted to reach 115 miles per hour.
In the Philippines, the president Benigno Aquino has said his administration’s preparations for the storm have significantly contributed to a reduced loss of life, after only 11 people died in the onslaught. Prior to the storm touching down, thousands were evacuated; evacuation shelters were well stocked with medical supplies and food.
Despite the preparations, nothing could have saved the homes and businesses destroyed as the typhoon swept through the countryside, and the damage in its wake is extensive.
