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Typhoon kills 4 in Philippines

Posted August 20, 2008 20:28:00

A typhoon has killed four people in the northern Philippines and brought heavy rain that forced the closure of schools in the region and in the capital Manila, officials said.

Three children were killed by a mudslide that engulfed their home in Benguet province, while a 72-year-old woman also died in a landslide nearby.

Chief weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz told reporters that typhoon Nuri had winds as high as 170 kilometres per hour and that it would leave Philippine territory and head towards Taiwan on Thursday morning (local time).

Airline officials said at least five flights to the north from Manila were cancelled while traffic in the capital slowed to a near standstill because of the rain.

Typhoons from the Pacific regularly batter the Philippines.

A storm in June killed about 300 people and also caused the capsizing of a crowded ferry in which another 800 people were killed.

- Reuters

Tags: disasters-and-accidents, floods, storm, philippines

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