There is relief in the Philippine capital city Manila, after tropical storm Hagupit passed by without causing too many problems with flooding and storm damage.  But more than two dozen people are dead, most of them on Samar Island where Hagupit made landfall as a Super Typhoon with winds of 210 kilometers per hour.

“We now have a total of 27 dead, most of them in Borongan, Eastern Samar,” said Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.  Most of the victims died in flooding.  A higher death toll was avoided with a thorough evacuation effort while the storm was still out over the Pacific Ocean.

The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) death toll is much lower, but the agency is still working to confirm other reports.  NDRRMC executive director Alexander Pama said, “This is not a comparison game.  We’re following procedures, we’re following protocols.”

The NDRRMC is still tallying the damage, and it’s already more than A$30 Million and rising.  Crews are racing to restore power to 19 provinces, and to clear roads closed by flooding and debris.  Hagupit is heading out across the South China Sea, and is expected to head towards Vietnam.