This archive report was first published on 26 December 2019.
Christmas celebrations were marred by the devastating effects of Typhoon Phanfone, also known as Ursula, which made landfall in the Philippines on Tuesday night and continued to pass over the central islands throughout Christmas Day.
According to local media, at least 10 people have died, including a three-year-old boy, with most deaths occurring in Iloilo and Capiz provinces.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) quotes officials as saying that at least 16 people died, with one family being swept away by a flash flood as they attempted to get to higher ground.
Richard Gordon, the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, told the BBC that 'a lot of people have lost their homes and they need food', adding that water and power services had been cut in some areas and restoring them could take weeks.
The storm, which carried gusts of close to 190km/h (118 mph), made landfall several times across various islands, leaving tens of thousands of people stranded in ports as they tried to make their way home for Christmas.
Phanfone struck close to regions devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed more than 6,000 people and was the Philippines' deadliest storm.
