Philippines: Airport shut 'until further notice' due to severe typhoon damage

Manila: Super typhoon Rai (known locally as Odette) brought death as well as extensive damage to infrastructure and property in the Philippines, with flights cancelled in the major trading port city of Cebu. Disaster management officials reported at least 12 deaths.

Communication is difficult. Help is being sought by local residents reeling from power outages, especially in the central Visayas and northern Mindanao regions.

Officials have shut down the Mactan-Cebu International Airport "until further notice" due to the severe damage wrought by Rai.

The onward flights of thousands of Filipinos who flew home for the holidays and are currently quarantining in government-designated facilities in Cebu, though their final destination is elsewhere, remains unclear.

“At 6:52 p.m. of Dec. 16, 2021, airport operations have been suspended until further notice due to the damage caused by Typhoon Odette (Rai). Passenger and employee safety remain our no. 1 priority,” an advisory issued by GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. reads.

“Flights are also cancelled until further notice. We are closely coordinating with the different government agencies and airline partners regarding announcements on the resumption of flights. We urge all passengers to stay at home until the resumption of flights are announced,” it added.

Devastating winds battered central Philippines with nonstop gusts lasting from 6 pm. until around midnight on Thursday. The extent of the damage to Metro Cebu, the Philippines' second-biggest city, and other islands has yet to be known.

Initial reports shared on social media show an extensive damage to property due to strong winds and flooding brought by the monster storm.

On Friday night, most of Cebu still has no power, as utility posts were felled by the storm. Power and communication lines were also cut in many towns and cities in the Visayas and Northern Mindanao.