Dubai-Philippines travel: Several flights cancelled due to Typhoon Rai havoc

Typhoon Odette (Rai) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday, December 18, leaving parts of the Visayas and Mindanao to recover in its wake.

The Category 5 storm forced mass evacuations and flight cancellations as floodwaters reached chest-high in low-lying communities.

Airlines cancelled dozens of flights, while transport authorities banned sea and land travel in central and southern Philippines, leaving thousands stranded at ports.

Mactan-Cebu International Airport had suspended operations on December 17 owing to severe conditions caused by the storm.

Airport authorities took to social media to post images of the destruction caused by Odette.

The Mactan Cebu International Airport is in the process of restoring regular services after sustaining damage in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Odette.

First international flight will be allowed to land at 6:00am on December 21, subject to change. Only 600 international arriving passengers per day will be allowed from December 21-25. Starting December 26, the quota will be raised to 850 per day.

As such, Cebu Pacific has canceled the following flights:

December 19, 2021

December 20, 2021

December 21, 2021

Manila-Dubai flight

Cebu Pacific has also cancelled Flight 5J 014 Manila–Dubai on December 20 due to operational limitations.

Affected passengers have been informed via contact details provided in the booking.

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Super Typhoon

Several people have been reported killed in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, official tallies showed Sunday, as efforts to deliver water and food to devastated islands ramped up.

More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai ravaged the southern and central regions of the archipelago, reports AFP.

The storm knocked out communications and electricity in many areas, ripped off roofs, toppled concrete power poles and flooded villages.

Arthur Yap, governor of the popular tourist destination Bohol, said on his official Facebook page that mayors on the devastated island had so far reported 63 deaths in their towns.

That took the overall number of reported deaths to 89, according to the latest official figures.

But the toll was likely to rise as disaster agencies assessed the full extent of the death and destruction from the storm across the vast archipelago.

Rai smashed into the country Thursday as a super typhoon packing wind speeds of 195 kilometres (120 miles) per hour.

Thousands of military, police, coast guard and fire personnel are being deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts in the worst-affected areas.

Coast guard and naval vessels carrying food, water and medical supplies are being dispatched, while heavy machinery — like backhoes and front-end loaders — are being sent to help clear roads blocked by fallen power poles and trees.

Charities and emergency services have appealed for donations.

An aerial survey of damage to parts of Bohol — known for its beaches, rolling “Chocolate Hills”, and tiny tarsier primates — showed “our people have suffered greatly”, Yap said.

There has also been widespread destruction on Siargao, Dinagat and Mindanao islands, which bore the brunt of Rai when it slammed into the Philippines.

Aerial photos shared by the military showed severe damage in the Siargao town of General Luna, where many surfers and holidaymakers had flocked ahead of Christmas, with buildings stripped of roofs and debris littering the ground.

Tourists were being evacuated from the island on Sunday.

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