Masha Midhath   27 August 2023 - 07:57 PM
Super Typhoon Saola's floodwaters, which primarily affected rural areas in the northern Philippines, forced more than a thousand people from their homes, according to rescue officials on Sunday.

According to the state meteorological agency, Saola passed by the northeast of the main island of Luzon throughout the course of Saturday night before continuing south just off the Pacific coast. Saola was carrying gusts of up to 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour).

There have not yet been any reports of fatalities or significant damage.

Residents of coastal communities vulnerable to high winds and large waves were moved to higher ground on Isabela province’s Pacific coast, as were those on the northern tip of Cagayan province to the north and Ilocos Sur province on Luzon’s northwest coast, officials said.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 major storms each year that kill hundreds of people and keep vast regions in perpetual poverty.