Central Philippines Struck by Typhoon; 40 Die, 19 Ships Sink
Typhoon Mike roared into the South China Sea today after killing more than 40 people across the central Philippines, officials said.
President Corazon Aquino, who returned today from Japan, declared 30 of the country’s 73 provinces disaster areas.
About 100 people were missing and 320,000 people jammed schools, offices and makeshift evacuation centers. First reports indicated severe devastation in Cebu, a major industrial center of more than half a million people. Nineteen ships sank in the storm, including 17 in Cebu harbor.
Radio station DYHP in Cebu, which reported the 40 deaths, said about 90% of all houses built of wood were damaged or destroyed.
The typhoon, which roared into the country Tuesday with peak winds of 150 m.p.h., had weakened to 94 m.p.h., said Crisologo Enriquez of the Manila weather bureau.
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