By Cris Larano
MANILA--Typhoon Rammasun left much of Manila and nearly a dozen
provinces without electricity on Wednesday as it swept across the
Philippines.
The deadly storm was expected to intensify as it moves out to
the South China Sea on its way toward southern China.
The Philippine Red Cross said at least nine people were killed
throughout the country. Officials later increased that figure to
more than 20, the Associated Press reported.
In Quezon province, three family members were killed when a
concrete wall collapsed as the typhoon passed over the province's
capital of Lucena City. Two men were killed elsewhere in Quezon,
which is southeast of Manila.
Joe Zaldarriaga, spokesman for Manila Electric Co., told The
Wall Street Journal that about 86% of the company's more than 5.3
million customers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces--an area
that is home to about 25 million people--were without power by noon
on Wednesday.
"We're gradually restoring service, but our main problem is the
southern portion of our franchise area," said Mr. Zaldarriaga. He
added that transmission lines of the National Grid Corp. of the
Philippines, which transports electricity from major power plants
located south of the capital, remained out of operation.
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said about 40% of the area
powered by Manila Electric would likely remain without power
through at least Wednesday night.
"So far there are no reports of power-plant damage, which is the
good news," Mr. Petilla said.
Authorities urged hospitals in Manila and other affected areas
to stock up on fuel for generators to ensure they could make it
through the next 24 hours. The government said 11 roads and one
bridge were impassable due to damage or flooding caused by the
storm in the worst-hit provinces.
Dozens of domestic and international flights were canceled
earlier Wednesday, but Manila's international airport resumed
flights later in the day. Two Boeing Co. jets owned by Singapore
Airlines and Malaysia Airlines were damaged by strong winds as they
were parked at the airport.
Along the eastern coastline in Albay province, where the typhoon
made landfall Tuesday evening, strong winds ripped roofs off houses
and schools, uprooted trees and toppled electric poles.
Typhoon Rammasun slammed into the Philippines at dusk on
Tuesday, with sustained winds at its center of 130 kilometers per
hour and gusts of up to 160 kilometers. The typhoon intensified as
it moved from Albay province to other provinces south of Manila,
with sustained center winds of 150 kilometers per hour and gusts of
185 kilometers per hour.
Typhoon Rammasun is the strongest typhoon to make landfall since
Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated central provinces in November.
Philippine authorities expressed relief that Rammasun's punch was
small in comparison to that of Haiyan, which claimed more than
6,000 lives.
"We've learned our lessons," said Gwen Pang, secretary-general
of the Philippine Red Cross. "People I believe were sufficiently
made aware of what the situation would be like," said Ms. Pang.
More than 300,000 people in zones expected to be in Rammasun's path
were evacuated before the typhoon made landfall.
The Philippines is visited by around 20 large storms every
year.
Trefor Moss contributed this article.
Write to Cris Larano at cris.larano@wsj.com
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