This archive report was first published on 3 December 2019.
On December 3, 2019, Typhoon Kammuri, known locally as Tisoy, made landfall in the Philippines, bringing with it powerful winds and heavy rainfall that left a trail of destruction in its wake.
The storm, which was the 20th to hit the Philippines that year, caused widespread power outages, with Manila airport shut down for 12 hours and nearly 500 flights canceled.
According to officials, the evacuations of hundreds of thousands of people from exposed areas had lessened the impact of the storm on civilians and prevented more deaths.
However, the authorities warned of storm surges up to three feet and floods and landslides from the wind and rain in the mountainous countryside.
Gov. Al Francis Bichara of Albay province said the fierce winds caused more damage than the rain, with the army, police force, and emergency service workers helping clear roads of debris.
As the storm continued to batter the archipelago, officials issued flood alerts for several regions, with the storm expected to strengthen slightly before starting to weaken.
Deadly landslides set off by typhoon rains could also affect more mountainous, rural areas, with a sizable portion of the Philippine population living along the coast and in low-lying areas.
The typhoon struck the Philippines as the nation hosted the Southeast Asian Games, a biennial sports event that draws top athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations.
