TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of people confirmed killed when a super typhoon devastated the Philippines surpassed 5,200, the government said on Friday, November 22, 2013.
As reported by South China Morning Post, the official death toll from the storm jumped by nearly 1,200 to 5,209, with another 1,611 people still missing, said the spokesman for the government's disaster management council, Reynaldo Balido.
Balido explained the death toll rose sharply on Friday, increasing from 4,015, after officials reported body counts from communities outside the worst-hit areas.
"Now, the reports are coming in from the entire typhoon area," Balido said. The data of the new reports was submitted to the central government after they were signed by mayors and health officials. Therefore, those reports which came at the same time made the number of victims increase rapidly.
ANINGTIAS JATMIKA | SCMP