Storm Fengshen Kills Eight in Philippines as It Heads for China

Tropical storm Fengshen has killed eight people in the Philippines, authorities said, warning it could intensify as it heads for China and Vietnam.

Known locally as Ramil, the storm caused torrential rains, floods and landslides in central Philippines during the weekend. The fatalities include a family of five who died after a tree crashed into their home, Junie Castillo, spokesperson of the Office of Civil Defense, said on Monday.

Fengshen, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, is forecast to become a severe tropical storm once it exits the Philippines as it intensifies while over the South China Sea, the nation’s weather agency Pagasa said in its latest advisory. It’s heading towards Hainan in China and then to Da Nang in Vietnam, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

“We were surprised with the volume of rain,” Sheila Artillero, head of the disaster agency in central Capiz province, told radio station DZMM. “People asked for rescue because the water level reached neck-deep.”

The Philippines sees an average of 20 cyclones a year resulting in deaths, injuries and damage to crops and infrastructure.

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Topics Windstorm China