Five Killed As Typhoon Noru Hits Philippines

The Philippines has begun cleaning up after Typhoon Noru swept across the northern part of the country, leaving five rescuers dead.

The Typhoon Noru, with sustained winds of 185 kilometres (115 miles) per hour, was the most powerful typhoon to hit the Southeast Asian nation this year.

The storm hit the coast at Burdeos town in Quezon province and weakened as it crossed into the main Luzon region overnight, prompting authorities to shut schools, government offices and the stock market.

Governor Daniel Fernando of Bulacan province, north of Manila, said five rescuers, who were using a boat to help residents trapped in floodwaters, were hit by a collapsed wall then apparently drowned in the rampaging waters.

About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, each year.

Last December, some 400 people were killed by Typhoon Rai, which the local Red Cross said destroyed or damaged some 1.5 million homes.