At least five people were killed after Super Typhoon Haima smashed into the northern Philippines with ferocious winds and rains overnight, flooding towns and forcing thousands to flee before weakening Thursday and blowing into the South China Sea, officials said. Nearly 100,000 villagers were evacuated from high-risk communities as the typhoon approached, helping prevent a larger number of casualties. A 70-year-old man died apparently of a heart attack while being brought to an emergency shelter from a flooded neighbourhood in Isabela province, officials said. A man takes cover as strong winds and rain topple trees while Typhoon Haima lashes Narvacan in Illocos Sur. In northern Ilocos Sur province, ricefields resembled brown lakes under waist-high floodwaters, although cleanup operations had started.

Source: CBC News October 20, 2016 07:45 UTC