Typhoon Conson hits land in Philippines
A STRONG typhoon has slammed into the eastern Philippines, bringing high winds that caused power outages in several provinces.
Typhoon Conson carried sustained winds of 74mph with gusts of up to 93mph, first making landfall at the coastal town of Hernani in Eastern Samar province before hitting nearby Samar province, the state weather service said.
Eastern Samar governor Ben Evardone said: “We only have minor damage here, thank God,” adding that work had been suspended in government offices.
Power systems operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said some transmission lines were affected. Power outages were reported in Eastern Samar, Samar and Leyte provinces.
Local officials also reported some flooding in Tacloban City.
The weather bureau said Coson had weakened into a severe tropical storm as it moved westnorthwestward over the Sibuyan Sea, with its sustained winds declining to 62mph.
The weather bureau warned of destructive winds and heavy rainfall within 18 hours in portions of seven provinces including Quezon, Masbate, Albay and Samar.
The Manila metro region was under a level one warning, which means strong winds were expected within the next 36 hours.
About 20 typhoons and storms batter the Philippines each year, aside from seasonal monsoon rains.