Roundup: Typhoon Xangsane hits Philippine capital and nearby regions

Typhoon Xangsane on Thursday swept over the Philippine capital and nearby regions, killing at least eight people, delaying airliners, causing flood and an extensive power failure, authorities said.

Eight people were reported killed and dozens injured by landslide, building collapse and fallen objects brought by the rainstorm of Xangsane, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said as it was still confirming the casualty number.

Winds of some 130 kilometers per hour have uprooted trees, toppled billboards and damaged buildings along Luzon since early Thursday. Moving northwest, Xangsane hit Manila at noon time, the national weather bureau said.

The typhoon caused a blackout throughout Luzon, because major power lines of the grid were down, disaster officials were quoted by Inquirer news network as saying during a teleconference with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In Metro Manila, flash floods and scattered debris dominated streets, forcing people, especially those from the low-income community to flock into shopping malls seeking shelter from the strong rains.

However, radio reports said that hundreds of people were advised to leave some malls in the urban area as temporary shelter after roofs of the shopping centers were ripped off by winds. High- rise buildings downtown were also rocking, once putting their residents into a little panic.

All international and domestic flights were canceled as of 10: 15 a.m. Thursday, Manila International Airport Authority told reporters, saying that they were hopeful that the operation could come back to normal as early as 6:00 p.m. depending on weather conditions.

Inter-island shipping was also halted in areas affected by the typhoon. More than 4,400 passengers have been stranded in ports, the transportation authority said in a report.

Nearly 150 people in the central region were stranded by flood, according to Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jose Coyme. Rescue efforts were slowed down due to the strong current of the overflowing river, he added.

The Office of Civil Defense said in a statement that the estimated loss of property reached at least 60 million pesos (1.2 million U.S. dollars) in Southern Luzon, Bicol and Eastern Visayasm, the three most affected regions of Xangsane.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza and Albay Governor Fernando Gonzales placed their areas under a state of calamity respectively. President Arroyo said in the teleconference that the government was doing its best to address the relief needs and conduct rescue operations.

The highest, third level of storm alert has been raised over Metro Manila and provinces nearby. The authorities were fairly ready for Xangsane, the first typhoon that right hit the capital since 1995.

Financial markets, schools and government offices except emergency services in the capital region were ordered closed to avoid danger on Wednesday, just one day before the typhoon reached the most densely populated part of the country.

Source: Xinhua