No major damage as Philippine storm weakens

Typhoon Hagupit knocked out power, mowed down trees and sent more than 8,00,000 people into shelters before it weakened on Sunday, sparing the central Philippines the type of devastation that a monster storm brought to the region last year. 

Shallow floods, damaged shanties and ripped off store signs and tin roofs were a common sight across the region, but there were no confirmed deaths or major destruction after Hagupit slammed into eastern Samar and other island provinces. 

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometres per hour and gusts of 170 kph on Sunday, considerably weaker from its peak power but still a potentially deadly storm, according to forecasters. 

The typhoon, which made landfall in Eastern Samar late yesterday, was moving slowly, dumping heavy rain that could possibly trigger landslides and flash floods.  Traumatised by Typhoon Haiyan’s massive death and destruction, more than 8,00,000 people fled to about 1,000 emergency shelters and safer grounds.