Christmas typhoon leaves 20 dead in Philippines

(AP) Residents walks beside an outrigger and playground equipment that were damaged by Typhoon Phanfone along a coastline in Ormoc city, central Philippines on Thursday Dec. 26, 2019. The typhoon left over a dozen dead and many homeless. Manila, Philippines • A strong typhoon that barreled through the central Philippines left at least 20 people dead and forced thousands to flee their homes, devastating Christmas celebrations in the predominantly Catholic country.

Typhoon Phanfone stranded many people in sea and airports at the peak of holiday travel, set off landslides, flooded low-lying villages, destroyed houses, downed trees and electrical poles and knocked out power in entire provinces.…