At least 7 dead as ‘Rolly' batters PH

More than 1 million evacuated in Bicol and Albay

- ELLALYN DE VERA- RUIZ, AFP, DHEL NAZARIO, MARTIN A. SADONGDONG, ANALOU DE VERA, and NINO N. LUCES

At least seven people, including a five-year-old, were killed in Albay province as Typhoon “Rolly” (international name “Goni”), the strongest storm in the world this year, pounded the country yesterday with authorities warning of catastrophic conditions in the hardest-hit regions where hundreds of thousands have fled their homes.

“Rolly” made landfall on Catanduanes Island before dawn with maximum sustained wind speeds of 225 kilometers (140 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 310 kilometers per hour, ripping off roofs, toppling trees, and triggering flash floods.

“Rolly” was downgraded from a super typhoon as it further weakened and made its third landfall over Quezon on Sunday afternoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) last observed “Rolly” over the coastal waters of Mulanay, Quezon at 1 p.m.

After making its first landfall at Bato, Catanduanes, around 4:50 a.m. and second landfall at Tiwi, Albay, at 7:20 a.m., it made its third landfall in the vicinity of San Narciso, Quezon, at 12 noon.

“Rolly” has further weakened but still packs maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kilometers per hour. It continues to move westward at 25 kilometers per hour.

Violent winds and intense rainfall associated with the region of the eyewall and inner rainbands of the typhoon are prevailing or expected within the next 12 hours over the Marinduque, Laguna, the eastern portion of Batangas, and Cavite. PAGASA warned that this is a particularly dangerous situation for these areas.