Typhoon Phanfone ravaged three provinces in the central Philippines over the Christmas holiday, with at least 16 people reported to have been killed.
The typhoon made landfall on Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. over Salcedo in Eastern Samar Province, according to Pagasa, the national weather agency. The eastern portion of Samar Island caught the brunt of powerful winds and rainfall as the typhoon battered the province.
Thirteen people were killed in western Visayas, the central of the three main island groups that make up the Philippines, news agencies quoted disaster agency officials as saying. Three others were reported to have died in the eastern part of the island group.
The typhoon, known in the Philippines as Ursula, was upgraded from a tropical storm as it approached the country. It led to the evacuation of more than 58,000 people and stranded thousands of travelers over the holiday period. Ferries were suspended and flights canceled.
The storm prevented many in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation from traveling to be with their families for Christmas.
Earlier in the week, authorities advised residents in areas prone to floods and landslides to leave their homes as the typhoon picked up speed, with sustained winds up to 75 miles per hour, heavy rain and flooding.
The typhoon also hit Boracay, Coron and other popular tourist destinations.
Felled trees cut electricity in several provinces, and emergency services distributed food and medical aid. Roads were impassable across several provinces, disaster agencies reported.
The typhoon was reported Thursday to be easing in strength as it moved over the western Philippines toward the South China Sea.
The Philippines has repeatedly been struck by typhoons this year, with one hitting three weeks ago as the country hosted the Southeast Asia Games. That typhoon, Kammuri, killed at least 17 people as it pummeled the capital, Manila, and surrounding areas.
At least 20 typhoons have hit the Philippines this year.
