At least 11 people were killed and 34 were missing yesterday after Typhoon Xangsane lashed the Philippines, leaving a trail of destruction before moving into the South China Sea, officials and local media said.
Torrential rain caused major flooding throughout central and northern parts of the country as high winds uprooted trees, brought down power lines and damaged buildings.
Manila was brought to a virtual standstill as people deserted its normally busy streets and businesses closed to wait out the typhoon.
Officials said at least two people died in the central Philippines while two others were killed in the Albay region, south of Manila, as the typhoon, the 10th of the season, slammed into the main northern island of Luzon.
A stone wall toppled by strong winds killed two more people in Muntinglupa Town, just outside Manila while one man was crushed by a falling billboard in a suburb of the capital.
A falling wall also crushed a man in Santo Tomas Town, just south of Manila, local radio reports said.
Another person was killed by a falling tree in Santa Cruz Town, south of the capital while one man was killed and four others were missing and feared dead in the town of Calauan, south of Manila, local officials and rescuers said.
Local radio also reported 30 people were missing in Cavite Province, south of Manila after a dam burst, governor Irineo Malicsi said on local radio.
A woman was also killed when she was electrocuted by a fallen power line in Quezon Province, just east of Manila, local officials added.
Packing winds of 130kph, Xangsane was was moving northwest at 17kph, the weather bureau said.
The highest level of a three-step storm alert has been raised over Metropolitan Manila and nine surrounding provinces while the second level alert has been raised over provinces to the north and south of the capital.
As the typhoon approached, international and domestic flights from Manila's airports were all canceled, airport general manager Alfonso Cusi said.
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