In Philippines, Typhoon Melor causes four deaths; 734000 evacuated

“This is going to be a sad Christmas for us”, Umali said.

Residents eat outside their damaged shanties after typhoon Melor battered central Philippines.

This despite media reports that three people were killed in Samar – one by hypothermia and two by drowning – which the NDRMMC, however, said still have to be verified.

PAGASA warned against possible widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services in areas placed under public storm signal number 3.

The storm was expected to weaken further as it heads to Mindoro island and out into the South China Sea later on Tuesday, state weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said.

Sta. Cruz municipal disaster risk reduction management officer Augusto Viray, reached late Tuesday night, said the town has been badly hit, with about a thousand persons evacuated to the town hall and the adjoining motorpool.

“We have zero floods, zero deaths, zero casualties”, Joey Salceda, governor of Albay province in Bicol, told ABS-CBN television.

“It may take three to four months to restore power in the province after power lines and electricity posts were toppled by strong winds”, Baldo said.

Millions of people were also without power in the eastern Philippines and Mindoro, with no guarantees electricity would be restored before Christmas.

Bad weather forced the cancellation of 16 domestic flights on Tuesday, adding to the 56 flights cancelled on Monday, the NDRRMC said.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Monday, December 14 that over 6,000 passengers are stranded as Typhoon Nona (international name: Melor) remains a threat to various parts of the country. In October, Typhoon Koppu carved through north Philippines, killing 54 people and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.

In November 2013, one of the strongest typhoons on record, Haiyan, flattened entire communities in the central region with tsunami-like waves, leaving 7,350 people dead or missing.