Typhoon Durian slams into northern Philippines

By Karen Lema

MANILA (Reuters) - Typhoon Durian slammed into the northern Philippines on Thursday, tearing up trees and leaving thousands stranded, but looked set to skirt Manila as it swept to the south of the capital of 12 million people.

The eastern island of Catanduanes, where the eye of the category 4 typhoon crossed the coast, was cut off after power companies halted operations and mobile phone signals died.

Villagers along the coast were urged to evacuate as disaster officials raised the alert level to maximum and warned of flash floods, landslides and storm surges from Durian, which was one notch below a category 5 "super typhoon."

"We expect these strong winds to blow until early evening," said Jesse Robredo, mayor of Naga City in the Bicol region. "The winds are uprooting trees and causing roofs to fly."

Durian, packing winds of up to 190 kph (120 mph) and gusts of 225 kph (140 mph), was expected to hit resort areas in Batangas province and Mindoro island, south of the capital, before weakening as it moved west into the South China Sea.

"There was a big change in direction," said weather services chief Nathaniel Cruz. "Manila will no longer be a direct hit."

Still, Cruz warned the capital's residents to prepare for heavy rain and strong winds.

Named after a pungent and spiky Asian fruit, Durian is the fourth typhoon to hit the Philippines in three months.

In September, 213 people were killed when Typhoon Xangsane battered the north and center of the country, leaving millions without electricity or running water for days.

Xangsane also killed dozens in Vietnam but it was unclear whether Durian would hit that country after the Philippines.

STORM DAMAGE

Luzon island, where Manila is located, is the country's most populated region, its business hub and the main growing area for rice and coconuts.

The recent run of typhoons damaged crops, transport links and power lines, dragging down third-quarter economic growth.

There were concerns about electricity supplies in the wake of Durian as Batangas province is home to three generation plants that serve the capital and surrounding areas.

But First Gen Corp, owner of two of the plants, said there were no plans for a shutdown and that the company was ready for an emergency.

The third plant is owned by a joint venture of National Power Corp and Korea Electric and Power Corp.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp, a unit of Royal Dutch Shell, said its refinery in Batangas that processes 110,000 barrels of oil per day would continue running despite the typhoon.

Northwest Airlines canceled flights to Japan and some domestic air travel was cut. Ferry passengers were stranded south of Manila after the coast guard ordered vessels to port.

Children were given the day off school in Manila and surrounding provinces on Thursday, with the heavy weather likely to disrupt travel plans over a long holiday weekend.

Storms regularly hit the Philippines. In the worst disaster in recent years, more than 5,000 people died on the central island of Leyte in 1991 in floods triggered by a typhoon.

In 2004, a series of storms left about 1,800 people dead or missing, including 480 who were killed when mudslides buried three towns in Quezon, an eastern province.

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