Popular surfing paradise left beyond recognition in wake of storm

GENERAL LUNA (Philippines) • Resort and bar owners on a Philippine island popular with surfers and tourists were expecting a bumper Christmas holiday season after Covid-19 restrictions finally eased. Then Typhoon Rai wiped them out.

The strongest storm to hit the archipelago this year cut a swathe through Siargao, a tropical paradise known for its sandy beaches, big waves and relaxed atmosphere.

With wind speeds of 195kmh as it made landfall on the island last Thursday, Rai uprooted palm trees, shredded thatched roofs, smashed wooden buildings, and toppled power poles. The widespread destruction left the island - voted the best in Asia by Conde Nast Traveller readers this year - unrecognisable.

"The day after the storm, we went outside and we were like 'wow, this is Siargao now, it's no more'," Ms Claudine Mendoza, 27, a sous chef at a beachfront resort, told Agence France-Presse.

"Even Cloud Nine is no more. I was really devastated," Ms Mendoza said, referring to the island's surf break where a wooden boardwalk - a popular selfie spot for tourists - was swept away by the typhoon.

The storm is a bitter blow for tourism operators, hitting them a week before the Christmas holidays when many Filipino families typically head to the country's famed beaches and dive spots.

Pandemic travel restrictions decimated visitor numbers to the island in the past two years, leaving many resorts, cafes, souvenir shops and tour guides struggling to survive.

But domestic tourism began to pick up in recent months as the government relaxed rules to boost economic activity - though it kept a ban on foreign travellers entering the country.

"Everyone was so happy, the island was lively again," Ms Mendoza said. "Then suddenly the storm came."

Now, business owners face expensive repairs or having to start from scratch, and their employees face an uncertain future. Some are wondering if it is even worth trying to begin again.

"This typhoon is much worse for us than the pandemic - the pandemic didn't cause any (structural) damage," said resort owner Anton Alvarez.

"We think we have the capacity to rebuild but there's no point in rebuilding if it's just us - we need the whole of Siargao to rebuild."

With electricity across the island knocked out, there is no mobile phone signal or Internet access. This has hampered the efforts of disaster agencies to assess the full extent of the death and destruction caused by the storm.

At least 375 people were killed on the islands hit by Rai, the national police have reported - including 167 in the region that includes Siargao. Farmers and fishermen have seen their livelihoods destroyed, and thousands of families have been left homeless.

The deadly typhoon also damaged dozens of homes and government infrastructure on Thitu, the country's strategically most important outpost in the South China Sea. Thitu's population of just 194 as at July has a strategic purpose for Manila - preserving a Philippine claim of sovereignty in the face of a resurgent China.

It could take months for power to be fully restored to Siargao, making it difficult for business owners to talk to their partners and investors about the future. Mr Alvarez said he would like to reopen his resort within 12 months, but admitted that was "pretty optimistic".

"What will happen now?" asked Ms Mendoza. "We don't know."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS