| 2 dead as Typhoon Megi strikes the Philippines By the CNN Wire Staff October 18, 2010 10:41 a.m. EDT With memories of last year's killer typhoons still fresh, Philippines officials urged residents of northern provinces to be extra vigilant as powerful Typhoon Megi roared across the island chain Monday, ripping off roofs and cutting off electricity. So far, two people have died in what has been billed as the strongest storm of the year, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Emergency workers pulled the body of Vicente Decena, 53, from a bloated river; a tree fell on the house of Aileen Respicio, 20, killing her and injuring her child. Five others were injured elsewhere, the disaster council reported. It is then expected to intensify when it reaches the South China Sea. It is unclear whether the typhoon will move more toward China's Hainan -- an island province which has already been hard-hit by flooding -- or Hong Kong in the coming days. Full story. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/18/philippines.typhoon/index.html Megi typhoon hits Philippines (Photos and Video) The strongest cyclone in years to buffet the Philippines knocked out communications and power as residents took shelter Monday, while flooding in Vietnam swept away a bus and 20 of its passengers, including a boy taken from his mother's grasp by the raging waters. In China, authorities evacuated 140,000 people from a coastal province ahead of Super Typhoon Megi, (called "Juan" in the Philippines). The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Megi has weakened after crossing the Sierra Madre mountain range in northern Philippines. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blog-post/2010/10/megi_typhoon_hits_phillipenes.html |