winds of 43 km/h (27 mph). High waves flooded a portion of Route 58 on Okinawa, damaging three vehicles and flooding 28 buildings. The storm also caused one landslide on the island. Aftermath A few days after Babs struck the Philippines, then-Philippine president Joseph Estrada declared four provinces as a state of calamity and ordered the release of ₱200 million (PHP) in emergency funds. Estrada later released an additional ₱50 million (PHP) specifically for Catanduanes, as well as ₱10,000 sent to the family of each storm fatality. The Philippine Navy sent rubber boats to Bato, Catanduanes to help with relief there. The president ordered agencies to work together to respond to the disaster and for his Trade Secretary to watch for price gouging. However, food prices tripled following Babs and Zeb, especially after roads were blocked from agriculture areas, and ferries from unaffected areas were unable to travel due to the storm. After Babs passed the hardest hit areas, workers were initially unable to distribute food and medicine due to ferry service being halted. Many provinces and islands were isolated after the storm, necessitating helicopter travel to be reached by national aid workers. The Department of Public Works and Highways worked quickly to clear the landslides and reopen closed roads. The country's National Food Authority provided about 73,000 sacks of rice to storm victims, and the country planned to import 300,000 tonnes of rice to overcome the lost crops. The Philippine Red Cross deployed search and rescue teams, as well as distributing food and coffee to 35,500 people. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement launched a global request for assistance worth about $2.2 million to help 240,000 people. See also Typhoon Rammasun (2014) Typhoon Megi (2010) Typhoon Haima (2016) References External links JMA General Information of Typhoon Babs (9811) from Digital Typhoon JMA Best Track Data (Graphics) of Typhoon Babs (9811) JMA Best Track Data (Text) JTWC Best Track Data of Super Typhoon 20W (Babs) 20W.BABS from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory 1998 Pacific typhoon season Typhoons Retired Philippine typhoon names 1998 disasters in the Philippines Typhoons in the Philippines