Typhoon Utor headed toward southern China today, leaving 28 people dead and 38 others missing in the Philippines, including Taiwanese and Chinese sailors, rescuers said.
Its hurricane-force winds cut down power and telephone lines, flattened farms and houses and dumped heavy rain that left at least 10 towns and cities in the north of the main island of Luzon under water, the civil defence office in Manila said.
Baguio city, a mountain resort, bore the brunt of the damage.Floods hit populated valleys and landslides struck elevated areas, burying 14 people alive. Rescue efforts continue today to try to dig out at least five more people feared to be under the debris.
Landslides also left 13 people dead and 26 missing in the towns of Buguias, La Trinidad, Atok and Tublay near Baguio. A toppled power pylon killed one person in the northern province of Cagayan.
The government said more than 25,000 people were displaced, with some needing evacuation after being marooned on the rooftops of their flooded homes.
Weathermen said the eye of Typhoon Utor was about 370 kilometres (229 miles) northwest of the northern city of Laoag at 10:00 am (0200 GMT) and moving northwest at 22 kilometres an hour toward southern China.
The typhoon could hit southern China by Friday, the weather bureau in Manila said.
AFP