IT'S a big difference. The death toll from typhoon Hagupit that hit the Philippines this week was around 20. When typhoon Haiyan hit the country last year some 7000 people died. So what was different this time round?
For a start, this storm was marginally less intense. And, unlike Haiyan, it did not drive a tidal surge up an estuary to slap into the city of Tacloban. But the biggest difference, say international rescue agencies, is that this time the government was prepared. More than 1000 evacuation shelters were ready and stocked with food, with an estimated 1.7 million people kept safe in public buildings or on high ground.
Haiyan taught the Philippines that it was vital "to evacuate before the storm hits, if you live near the sea, and if you live near trees whose branches might fall on you", said Richard Gordon, the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.
This article appeared in print under the headline "Took a hint from typhoon Haiyan"
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