Manila residents seek high ground as typhoon hits

A super typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines with ferocious winds early Sunday, knocking down power in several towns and prompting the evacuation of about a million people in its likely path, including in the capital where the main airport was shut down.

Typhoon Goni hit the island province of Catanduanes at dawn with sustained winds of 225 kilometers (140 miles) per hour and gusts of 280 kph (174 mph) - equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.

It was blowing west toward densely populated regions, including Manila, and rain-soaked provinces still recovering from a typhoon that hit a week ago and left at least 22 dead.

There were initial reports of deaths, including a man who was reportedly pinned by a fallen tree in Albay province, but authorities said they were still verifying the details.

About two hours after it blew ashore, the typhoon battered Albay with a slightly weaker sustained winds but more powerful gusts of 310 kph (193 mph), forecasters said.

The Philippine weather agency reinforced those concerns, saying that within the next 12 hours, people will experience “catastrophic violent winds and intense to torrential rainfall associated with the region of the eyewall and inner rain bands."

Residents have been warned of likely landslides, massive flooding, storm surges of up to five meters (16 feet) and powerful winds that can blow away shanties.

Hundreds of COVID-19 patients were moved to hospitals and hotels from tent quarantine centers.