Typhoon sweeps through north Philippines, leaves 2 dead

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) – A strong typhoon has swept through the northeastern Philippines, leaving at least two people dead and more than 15,900 evacuated.

The Rappler news website reported Sunday that two fatalities were recorded in the island province of Cataduanes in the Bicol region, which has been slammed with torrential rains since Friday due to Typhoon Sarika -- locally known as Karen.

Three fishermen remain missing in Cataduanes, according to police, and more than 15,970 people were evacuated across the region as of 6 p.m. (1000GMT) Saturday.

Provinces across Bicol also experienced widespread power outages, especially in Albay.

As of late Sunday morning, the typhoon had weakened with a bulletin by state weather bureau PAGASA saying that Karen was packing maximum winds of up to 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour with gusts of up to 200 km per hour.

Despite the storm being about to exit landmass via Pangasinan province, Rappler cited the agency as warning that moderate to heavy rains are forecast within a 400-kilometer diameter of the typhoon.

The typhoon has resulted in the cancelation of more than 200 flights according to the Manila International Airport Authority, and the country’s coast guard has prohibited all sea vessels from sailing until PAGASA lifts storm warnings signals in the archipelago.

The Philippines suffers around 20 typhoons and storms each year, many of them deadly.

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan -- one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded -- struck the country’s central islands, leaving more than 8,000 people dead, missing and injured.