Year's strongest storm kills five in Philippines

At least five people were killed as the strongest storm to make landfall in the Philippines this year lashed Manila, shutting schools, offices and financial markets and knocking out power across most of the capital.

After rapidly intensifying on Monday night, Typhoon Rammasun, which is known as "Glenda" in the Philippines, made landfall near Sorsogon, Philippines, on the southeastern part of Luzon Island, at about 2 pm local time yesterday.

It landed as a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, with maximum sustained winds of about 125 miles per hour.

The typhoon displaced more than 338,000 people and damaged at least 321 homes, according to local authorities.

Typhoon Rammasun, whose name means "thunder god" in Thai, plowed into the Philippines significantly stronger than the forecast had called for just 12 hours prior, which could have led residents to under-prepare for the storm.