Shell sued in Britain over 2021 Philippine typhoon devastation

103 claimants say oil giant's emissions play a part in climate change, impacting Filipinos

- 

Survivors of a deadly 2021 typhoon in the Philippines have filed a lawsuit against British oil giant Shell, seeking financial compensation for climate-related devastation, three nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) supporting claimants announced on Dec 11.

Typhoon Rai struck the southern and central regions of the Philippines in mid-December 2021, toppling power lines and trees and unleashing deadly floods that killed more than 400 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.

The lawsuit, brought by British law firm Hausfeld on behalf of 103 survivors, argues that Shell's carbon emissions contributed to climate change, impacting Philippine communities.

Scientists have long warned that typhoons are strengthening more rapidly as the world becomes warmer because of human-driven climate change.

In a joint statement, the NGOs including Greenpeace said the lawsuit represents "a decisive step to hold oil giant Shell accountable for the deaths, injuries and destruction left by the climate-fuelled storm".