Fengshen hits Philippines, seven dead, tens of thousands evacuated

Tropical Storm Fengshen, known locally as Ramil, battered northern and central Philippines over the weekend, killing seven people and forcing tens of thousands to flee low-lying and landslide-prone communities as it crossed Luzon before moving into the South China Sea, government officials said. The storm, tracked over Manila Bay on Sunday, brought heavy rain, coastal flooding and gusts of up to about 80 to 90 kilometers per hour.

The national disaster agency reported seven deaths and said about 22,000 people were forced to evacuate from vulnerable areas. Local disaster officials in southeast Luzon said at least 47,000 people had moved to government-designated shelters in that region. Nearly 14,000 evacuees remained displaced on Monday, the national council added, while the full extent of infrastructure and agricultural damage was still being tallied.

Five members of one family, including two children, were killed when a large palm tree fell on their bamboo house early on Sunday in Pitogo town in Quezon province, provincial police and disaster officials said. Authorities said the family had been trying to topple the tree by burning it. One person drowned in Roxas City in Capiz...