Storm hits Philippines's northeast, kills 10

A tropical storm slammed into the northeast mountain region on the Philippines' main island on Monday, killing at least 10 people and plunging some areas into darkness, disaster officials said.

Storm Aere, which dumped rain in the coconut-producing central Bicol region, weakened after making landfall, packing centre winds of 75 kph (46 mph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph. Two people were missing.

Aere, the country's second tropical storm this year but the first to cause death and damage, was moving at 15 kph north-northwest and was expected to clear the Philippines by Thursday, said Ronald Flores, acting head of the office of civil defence.

Flores said heavy rain and strong winds brought by Aere had caused landslides and flash floods in the central Bicol region before making landfall in northeast Aurora province on the main island of Luzon.

About 110,000 people in the coconut-producing Bicol and southern Tagalog regions had been affected as winds uprooted trees and toppled power lines, cutting electricity and phone services in wide areas.

Some major roads remained flooded and inaccessible.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said it was still awaiting reports of crop damage in rice and coconut production areas due to flooding.

An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, causing death and destroying infrastructure, property and crops.