11 killed as typhoon Kammuri hits Philippines

At least 11 people were killed, while hundreds of thousands were evacuated as typhoon Kammuri pounded large parts of Philippines, bringing heavy rains and high velocity winds and damaging a number of properties, officials said on Wednesday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said some 114,552 families or 458,020 persons were being aided in evacuation centers after they fled their homes over fears of flooding and landslides, Efe news reported.

Some 9,360 families or 37,388 were being helped outside, the NDRRMC said.

Overall, the number of families affected by the typhoon in at least five regions has risen to nearly 124,000, the council said.

Sources from the council said five fatalities were recorded in the Bicol region (east), five others died in the Mimaropa region (west) and one more died in the city of Ormoc (centre).

The typhoon, called Tisoy in the Philippines, has damaged at least 38 buildings, a dozen power lines, 12 roads and eight bridges, NDRRMC said.

The official Philippines News Agency reported that schools in the affected areas remained suspended on Wednesday due to the onslaught of the typhoon.

In addition, 521 domestic and international flights were canceled due to bad weather, most of them owing to the suspension of all operations at Manila's Ninoy Aquino Airport on Tuesday, while a disruption of transport by sea affected more than 3,300 passengers.

Kammuri passed over the central Philippines on Tuesday, blowing from east to west with sustained winds of 155 km per hour and gusts of 235 km per hour, according to the Philippine weather agency PAGASA, before losing strength and turning into a tropical storm.

The authorities, who continue to assess damages and collect data from the affected regions, have warned that rainfall would continue in several parts of the country and that water transport would be risky.

The typhoon has also affected of the Southeast Asian Games, which commenced Saturday and with more than 5,600 athletes taking part. Many of its events have been postponed or suspended, according to the organizers late Tuesday.