Death toll crosses 200 in Philippines due to Typhoon Rai

The official tally of deaths in Philippines due to Typhoon Rai has crossed 200. The storm has carved a trail of destruction in central and southern provinces of the country since it struck late last week.

52 people are still missing according to police data, as relief efforts continued following one of the deadliest typhoons to have struck the Southeast Asian country.

Rai has displaced nearly 5 lakh people in the Philippines before it moved towards the South China Sea over the weekend.

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President Rodrigo Duterte has announced around 2 billion pesos to fund recovery efforts in typhoon-hit provinces.

The Philippines, ranked among the globe's most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change, is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons every year, which typically wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure in already impoverished areas.