The Philippine Coast Guard rescued locals from floods brought by super typhoon Rai in the Philippines.
Video shows the rescue team evacuating villagers stranded by flood in Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental province on December 16.
They were living near a creek that had swollen from continuous rains but the responders used a rope to pull the raft full of passengers to safety.
Another clip taken in Tablon village in the same province shows villagers disembarking from the rubber boats to ride the rescue trucks that will take them to evacuation centres. Officers assisted the locals who had trouble keeping their balance amid the raging waters.
A rescue service spokesman said: ‘We can see the difficulty the residents had just to reach the rescue vehicles from the rubber boats. Despite the difficult of the job, our rescuers are ready to ensure the safety of those in need.’
State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that ‘heavy to torrential’ rains were expected over the south-central parts of the Philippines until Friday.
Typhoon Rai made its first landfall in Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte province 1:30 pm local time. It made a second landfall in the Dinagat Islands at 3:10 pm.
Storm signal warning 4, the most severe in the country’s four-tiered weather alert system, has been hoisted over the provinces of southern Leyte, eastern Bohol, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center said Typhoon Rai may become a Category 5 hurricane or super typhoon, possibly reaching speeds of up to 260 kph.
Tens of thousands of residents in flood and landslide-prone rural areas have been evacuated by local government units as they brace for the powerful typhoon.