At least 17 people were killed as Typhoon Fengshen lashed the Philippines on today causing flash floods and landslides.
Ten people drowned and five were missing after a river burst its banks in Maguindanao province. In Cotabato City, a man and a child were buried in a landslide at a rubbish dump, police said. Five other people were also drowned.
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| Residents wade in chest deep flood waters in Zamboanga City, southern Philippines today as Typhoon Fengshen passed across the country bringing torrential rains |
Fengshen, with winds gusting up to 195 km/h, is moving through the centre of the Southeast Asian country and is expected to exit tomorrow.
Officials in Manila were preparing for Fengshen to bring heavy rain to the sprawling capital city tomorrow.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who leaves for an eight-day visit to the United States later today, ordered clean-up and rescue operations.
In coming days, Fengshen could possibly head for southern China, where severe floods have already killed scores of people and left thousands homeless.
Tourists on Boracay, the Philippines' top holiday island, deserted its white beach and normally placid sea, which was rendered impassable by the strong winds and high waves. All flights were cancelled.
The storm uprooted trees, felled power lines and kept ships in harbours across the centre of the country. More than a dozen domestic flights were grounded and flash flooding forced some residents to wade through knee-high waters.
Around 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, triggering flooding and mass evacuations. Environmental groups blame illegal logging for making flooding worse, particularly in the central Philippines, where more than 5,000 people were killed in 1991 by floodwaters triggered by a typhoon.
In February 2006, around 1,000 people were buried alive when a mudslide from a barren mountain submerged a farming village on a central island.