Manila, July 23: Typhoon Imbudo blew out of the Philippines early today after slicing through the country's north, leaving at least six people dead. Imbudo, the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines in five years, was weakening as it headed slowly toward southern China and Hong Kong.
When it hit land before noon yesterday on the main Philippine island of Luzon it had top winds of 230 kph.
The typhoon toppled trees and electric power poles, causing blackouts in the northeastern Cagayan region of Luzon. Workers cleared landslides that had blocked parts of a highway to the region and traffic resumed early today, the office of civil defence said. Regular telephone and cellular lines were down. Four high school students and a driver aboard a motorcycle taxi were killed and eight passers-by injured when strong winds toppled a tree yesterday in the farming town of San Agustin in Romblon province, south of Manila.
A child was reported to have drowned in Maguindanao province where flooding forced authorities to evacuate about 12,000 people.
By today (0130 hours IST), imbudo was over the south china sea, about 280 kilometres west of northern Laoag city, with sustained winds of 130 kph and gusts of up to 160 kph. It was moving at 22 kph toward southern China and Hong Kong.
The lowest level of a four-level storm alert remained in seven northeastern provinces of the Philippines where weathermen warned the sea was still dangerous to small vessels. Classes for elementary schools were still suspended in the area. Bureau Report