Egay cuts destructive path through Luzon

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte, Philippines — Fierce howling winds and heavy rains spawned by Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) left at least five dead in Batangas, Rizal, and Ilocos Sur provinces, as the typhoon barreled through Luzon on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to reports gathered by the Inquirer.

More than 12,000 people in the hard-hit regions of Ilocos and Cagayan Valley huddled in temporary shelters while thousands of households were left without power, as Egay burst riverbanks, uprooted trees, ripped roofs off houses, and pounded coastal communities, including isolated villages tucked away in forests.

While the Inquirer verified the deaths of five persons due to Egay from local official sources, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported only one fatality and two injured on Wednesday afternoon.