Typhoon Nesat strikes Northern Philippines

At least seven people killed by Typhoon Nesat in Northern Philippines with sustained winds of 87mph as recorded by the government weather bureau.

Known as Pedring in the Philippines, the typhoon landed north of Manila bringing up to 25 mm (1 inch) of rainfall per hour as it raged on.

The first death reported was a one year old who drowned after falling into a river in Cataduanes province.

The Philippine capital has been isolated by high winds and heavy rains causing residents to wade in waist-deep floods. Schools were cancelled, offices shuttered and thousands stranded due to grounded flights and ported ferries. 

Weather agency warnings were released for flash floods and landslides and more than 100,000 people across the country were told to shelter by authorities.

12-foot-high waves have been warned by forecasters. Typhoon Nesat was expected by the Hong Kong Observatory on Tuesday morning to pass the archipelago toward southeastern China “in the next couple of days.”

The 400-mile cloud band typhoon threatens the main island of Luzon as it moves across the Philippines toward Southern China.