Typhoon Kammuri hits Philippines with 105 mph winds

Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Typhoon Kammuri roared onto the Philippines along the coast of Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday with winds of 105 mph along with a storm surge of 10 feet, as it uprooted trees and overturned cars in the capital of Manila.

Officials said more than 200,000 people were evacuated before the storm hit, causing significant damage to Legazpi City Domestic Airport in Albay.

"There are initial reports of houses blown away, power and communication lines down, roads blocked," Red Cross chairman Dick Gordon said. "If the typhoon hits a populous area like Manila, then it could bring flooding. But we can handle flooding."

The storm initially made landfall in Sorsogon, farther southeast from Manila, late Monday. It passed over San Pascual on Burias Island, Masbate early Tuesday and then Torrijos on Marinduque.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said metro Manila, Mindoro Provinces and Central Luzon would sustain occasional to frequent heavy rains through Wednesday morning.

Residents were told to take precautionary measures in areas hit by heavy rain because of the potential of flooding and landslides. Forecasters said 10-foot storm surges were expected in the coastal areas along Marinduque, Mindoro Provinces, Romblon, Cavite, and Batangas.

Officials lifted a tropical cyclone wind warning for Bohol, Siquijor, southern Leyte, and the rest of Cebu, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, but added sea travel remained "risky," especially for small vessels still under warning around northern Luzon and western Palawan.