Typhoon Sarika smashed into the main Philippine island of Luzon, ripping off roofs, toppling power lines and forcing more than 12,000 people to flee to safer ground. Minor landslides and flooding were also reported a day after the cyclone brushed past a remote island and left one person drowned and three others missing. Minor landslides were also reported as well as floods.

• The typhoon to blow over to conduct a full assessment.
• Marasigan’s disaster agency said nearly 12,500 people left their homes in the typhoon’s path, seeking refuge in government-run shelters and relatives’ homes.
  Eleven people were rescued after a boat capsized off the eastern island of Samar , while about 1,000 boats and 6,500 passengers were stranded at ports as the coast guard barred smaller vessels from putting to sea.

PHILIPPINES

• The Philippines is a Southeast Asian country in the Western Pacific, comprising more than 7,000 islands.
• Its capital, Manila, is famous for its waterfront promenade and centuries-old Chinatown, Binondo. Intramuros, a walled city in colonial times, is the heart of Old Manila.
• It’s home to the baroque 17th-century San Agustin Church as well as Fort Santiago, a storied citadel and military prison.
• Capital: Manila
• Currency: Philippine peso
• President: Rodrigo Duterte
• Official languages: English, Filipino