Philippine storm affects flights, a million homes

Super Typhoon Fung-Wong made landfall in the Philippines on Sunday with two fatalities reported and 1 million people evacuated ahead of one of the nation's most powerful storms this year.

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Several airports, including Sangley near the capital Manila and Bicol to the south, closed. Authorities in northern provinces that could be hit or sideswiped by Fung-wong preemptively shut schools and most government offices on Monday and Tuesday. At least 325 domestic and 6 international flights have been cancelled over the weekend and into Monday, and more than 6,600 commuters and cargo workers were stranded in seaports, where the coast guard prohibited ships from venturing into rough seas.

Authorities warned of a “high risk of life-threatening and damaging storm surge” of more than 3 metres along the coasts of more than 20 provinces and regions, including metropolitan Manila.

The storm crossed over the north of the archipelago’s most populous island Luzon, weather bureau PAGASA said, with torrential rain, sustained winds of 185kph and gusts of up to 230kph. It was the 21st storm this year to hit a nation only just recovering from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which left 224 dead in the Philippines and five in Vietnam.