Typhoon forces re-scheduling of SEA Games

CLARK, Philippines: Powerful Typhoon Kammuri forced organisers of the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines to reschedule about half of the events set for Tuesday, but they pledged the competition would finish on time.The storm, which made landfall late Monday, wrought particular havoc on water-based and outdoor events, causing at least 16 of them to be postponed.However, a similar amount of competitions — primarily indoor ones — were supposed to go ahead as planned, a statement from the organisers said. “It’s not safe to play and we apologise,” Ramon Suzara, the organising committee’s chief operating officer, told a news conference, announcing the rescheduling.Kammuri brought high winds and heavy rains across the northern Philippines, but did not directly hit the region around the capital Manila, which is home to the three main event hubs. The storm’s potent gusts also forced officials to close Manila’s international airport as a precaution, which will delay several basketball teams for the 5 x 5 competition that starts on Wednesday. Organisers stressed that the Games, which opened Saturday, won’t “go beyond its scheduled finish on December 11”. “We are prepared to take the necessary precautionary measures to secure the safety of all of our guests and athletes,” their statement added.

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