Hopes are fading for dozens of people trapped after a major landslide in the Philippines following the devastation caused by Typhoon Mangkhut.
At least 40 people, mostly gold miners, are missing after part of a mountain slope collapsed on houses in Itogon town in Benguet province.
Sky’s Asia correspondent Tom Cheshire, who is the only UK broadcaster at the rescue site, said one worker had voiced fears that none of those missing would be found alive.
At least 65 people are confirmed to have died in the Philippines since Mangkhut made landfall on Saturday with the equivalent strength of a category five Atlantic hurricane.
Another four deaths have been reported in China as winds of up to 125mph and storm surges as high as 10ft hit Guangdong province.
More than 2.4 million were evacuated as the typhoon moved on to southern China and densely populated Hong Kong, smashing windows and forcing the cancellation of 889 flights.
Boats were thrown on to the shore by powerful waves and the immense rainfall has brought fears of landslides, although none have yet been reported in Hong Kong.
Gale force winds uprooted trees and swayed high-rise buildings, according to Hong Kong residents.
“It swayed for quite a long time, at least two hours. It made me feel so dizzy,” said Elaine Wong, who lives in a high-rise tower in Kowloon, northern Hong Kong.
Images have revealed collapsed building scaffolding and trees bending in the strong winds across Guangdong province.
Mangkhut has now weakened to a tropical storm but rain and strong winds are expected to continue in southern China until Tuesday.
About 87,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas of the Philippines, where they were advised not to return home until the danger had passed.
Hong Kong’s home affairs department said it had opened 48 temporary shelters and was currently housing more than 1,200 people displaced by the storm.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s hospital authority reported that 213 people had sought medical treatment as a result of the typhoon.
Transport services on Hong Kong Island have been suspended, as have ferries to mainland China.
Hong Kong’s government has warned employers they could face prosecution if they do not recognise the dangers in demanding their employees come to work, or if they threatened to dock workers’ annual leave for sheltering during the storm.
Authorities in southern China have issued a red weather alert, the most severe warning, as forecasters said the region would face a “severe test caused by wind and rain” and urged officials to prepare for possible disasters.
From – SkyNews
