12 dead as powerful typhoon batters the Philippines

CEBU, Philippines: At least 12 people have died in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, the disaster agency said on Friday, after the storm swept across the archipelago uprooting trees, toppling power poles and flooding villages.

More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai pummelled the southern and central regions of the country, knocking out communications in some areas and tearing roofs off buildings.

Rai was a super typhoon when it slammed into Siargao Island on Thursday, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometres an hour (120 miles). On Friday, wind speeds eased to 150 kilometres an hour, the state weather forecaster said. "Siargao island is heavily damaged," Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the national disaster agency, told a briefing.