Deadly Typhoon Phanfone leaves destruction in its wake on Christmas Day

( Source AccuWeather)

As AccuWeather meteorologists have been warning about since last week, Phanfone made landfall in the Eastern Samar province of the Philippines on Tuesday afternoon, local time. Phanfone, known locally in the Philippines as Ursula, struck the country as a typhoon with the equivalent strength of a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific basins. Through Christmas day, Phanfone moved across the country bringing damaging winds and flooding rainfall. On Wednesday evening, the storm strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin despite interaction with the islands of the Philippines. At least three people died in Samar from the Typhoon, near where it made landfall, according to local television reports. Inquirer Regions reported on Wednesday evening that as many as eight people were killed with several more missing. Over 23,000 passengers have been stranded at ports in Bicol, Visayas, Tagalog and Mindanao due to the storm, the Philippine Coast Guard reported. Strong winds were reported at Kalibo International Airport with the Typhoon moving through the region, causing a partial ceiling collapse. Recreational