18 Friday International Friday, November 13, 2020 Seven dead; Typhoon triggers Manila worst floods in years Major floods in Philippines capital as Vamco batters Philippines MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte year, which killed 25 people and destroyed thou- yesterday ordered government agencies to hasten sands of homes earlier this month. relief efforts after a powerful typhoon killed at least “Rest assured, the government will not leave seven people and unleashed some of the worst anybody behind,” Duterte said in a national ad- flooding in years in the capital Manila. Duterte cut dress, pledging shelter, relief goods, financial aid short his attendance of a virtual meeting of South- and counseling. Nearly 200,000 people were east Asian leaders to inspect the damage from Ty- evacuated before Vamco arrived late on Wednes- phoon Vamco, moments after a speech during day packing winds of 155 kilometers per hour and which he urged his counterparts to urgently com- gusts of up to 255 kph. It has since weakened and bat the effects of climate change. exited the mainland. Duterte told Southeast Asian leaders the devastation of recent weeks was “a stark reminder of the urgency of collective action At least to combat the effects of climate change”. 40,000 homes ‘Overwhelming’ Nearly three million households in and around flooded in Manila were without power as people waded Manila suburb through waist-high floods, carrying valuables and pets. Coastguard swam through brown floodwater as high as electricity poles in some areas, while res- cue workers used rubber boats and makeshift floats MARIKINA CITY: Rescuers pull a rubber boat carrying residents through a flooded street after Typhoon Vamco to move children and the elderly to safety. In some hit in Marikina City, suburban Manila yesterday. — AFP The typhoon, the eighth to hit the Philippines in suburbs east of Manila, residents took refuge atop the past two months and 21st of the year, forced flooded homes. “The flood reached the entire sec- either been fully or partially submerged in the media of flooded homes and the disaster agency residents to scramble onto rooftops to await rescue ond floor of our house. For more than eight hours, Marikina area, a situation its mayor, Marcelino said parts of 36 cities and towns were inundated. after tens of thousands of homes were submerged. we stayed at our neighbor’s house,” call center Teodoro, said was “overwhelming” and the worst Flights and mass transit in Manila were suspended Those killed across the main island of Luzon, home worker Albert Rano, 35, told Reuters. since a typhoon flooded large swathes of the cap- and port operations stopped. Government work to half of the country’s 108 million population, in- “Aside from some clothes and laptops, nothing ital in 2009. was halted and financial markets shut. Vamco was cluded people who drowned, an elderly man hit by is left.” The typhoons have battered the Philippines “The local government cannot handle this,” headed towards Vietnam, where devastating floods a tree and three workers crushed when a ware- as it faces an uphill struggle to breathe life into its Teodoro told DZMM radio, requesting motorized and mudslides over the past month have killed at house collapsed. It struck areas still reeling from withering economy while keeping coronavirus in- boats and airlifts. Residents posted images on social least 160 people in central areas. — Reuters Goni, the most powerful typhoon in the world this fections under control. Roughly 40,000 homes had protest leader, Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, 23, said ‘The monarchy is of the deference generations of Thais have shown Father heard ‘noises’ before teen for the monarchy. “They see that they’re human, the king is god’: Thai royalist human, not a god.” Like many Thais his age, Thi- vanished in Malaysia: Inquest tiwat grew up watching the nightly royal news on KUALA LUMPUR: The father of a French-Irish A 10-day hunt involving hundreds of rescuers fol- television. He saw people kneel as royal cars in divided kingdom teenager whose body was found in the Malaysian lowed, before the schoolgirl’s body was found passed on streets lined with royal portraits. The jungle told an inquest yesterday he heard noises in close to the resort. BANGKOK: The words the Thai king spoke to monarchy was the one thing he always put faith the family’s holiday chalet before she disappeared. A window latch on the chalet was broken, but Thitiwat Tanagaroon have been tattooed on his in, he said. “It’s the same love I have for my dad The body of Nora Quoirin, a 15-year-old with the teen’s father did not believe she could have arm: “very brave, very good, thank you”. The 50- and mum,” he said. “For me, the monarchy is god.” learning difficulties, was discovered unclothed last climbed out alone as she struggled with mobility year-old restaurant manager never imagined he A decade ago, he himself joined street protests - year after a massive hunt through the rainforest. and balance. “She has no survival instincts. I would win praise from King Maha Vajiralongkorn by royalist “yellow shirts” - to bring down an Authorities insist there was no foul play but her could not understand how she could have got out when he brandished a royal portrait at an anti- elected populist government. He was among thou- parents believe she was abducted from the resort of the chalet and ventured out of the resort her- government protest last month. Nor had he ex- sands who prayed and slept outside the hospital where they were staying near Kuala Lumpur, say- self,” he said. He said the teen’s feet were unin- pected online attacks and calls for him to be fired when King Bhumibol Adulyadej fell sick in 2016. ing the teen would not have wandered off alone. jured when her body was discovered, which would from his job. “There are a lot of people who still And when King Bhumibol died after a seven- Testifying at the inquest into her death, Sebastien be unusual if she spent days wandering in the jun- love the monarchy and worship the monarchy but decade reign, Thitiwat - like the rest of Thailand - Quoirin said he “heard some muffled noise coming gle, and believes she could have been kidnapped they don’t come out,” he told Reuters. “Whoever dressed in black for a year. But Thailand has from the chalet” late at night on the day the Lon- and then dumped. comes out gets harassed.” changed dramatically since protests that began in don-based family arrived. “The abductors could have realized she was a Just months ago, criticizing Thailand’s monarchy July against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha - a “I could feel it was close... I cannot describe liability following the extensive police search and was taboo and few dared brave harsh royal insult former army chief. Anti-establishment demonstra- the nature of the noise,” he said, speaking via widespread media attention,” he said. The family laws. Now, defending the monarchy can also draw tions have evolved into demands to curb the pow- video-link as he could not attend the hearing in have criticized authorities for responding slowly criticism - a monumental shift in a kingdom where ers of the monarchy, which critics accuse of person due to the coronavirus. The 48-year-old after the teen’s disappearance but police say they the institution has been promoted for decades and abetting military domination, taking excessive au- Frenchman did not get up to investigate, however, conducted a thorough probe and there is no indi- must be revered according to the constitution. The thority, lavish spending and allowing a crackdown saying he was in a “state of semi-consciousness”. cation of kidnapping. An autopsy found the teen Palace did not respond to a request for comment on critics. The protesters have emphasized that The teen’s mother, Meabh Quoirin, made similar had probably starved and died of internal bleeding on changing attitudes since protests began in July. they seek to reform the monarchy not abolish it, claims in her testimony Wednesday. They discov- - but her family pushed for the inquest, which is ex- “The new generation and youth, they’re not into it,” though royalists distrust them.—Reuters ered their daughter was missing the next morning. pected to continue into December.— AFP .