Typhoon 'Bopha' kills more than 475 people in Philippines

The powerful Typhoon Bopha, which made a landfall on Tuesday the 4^th of December, has caused widespread destruction in Philippines as more than 475 people have been killed and another have been 400 reported missing. Bringing in torrential rains and high winds, Typhoon 'Bopha' unleashed chaos in southern Philippines.

Typhoon Bopha struck Mindanao Island on Tuesday leading to flash floods, which further engulfed makeshift shelters like the village hall and schools. Bopha, said to be among the strongest to hit the south of the country in the past 20 years, made landfall on the east coast of Mindanao Island, home to a population 10 million.

Tens of thousands of people were moved to shelters ahead of the typhoon, but in one town in Compostela Valley the shelters themselves were swept away by flash floods.

The typhoon brought gusts of up to 210 kmph and heavy rain. Communications and power supplies have shut down across vast areas of the island. The typhoon grounded over 150 flights and over 4,000 ferry passengers are still stranded at ports.

The typhoon came almost a year after Typhoon Washi struck northern Mindanao with devastating consequences. More than 1,300 people died when that storm struck, as rivers burst their banks and swamped communities.