Super Typhoon Hits Philippines At 140mph

"Thousands of people in the northeastern Philippines have been fleeing the most powerful typhoon to hit the region in years.

Super Typhoon Megi has left at least one man dead and could head to Vietnam, where 30 people have died from flooding in recent days, in addition to 20 passengers feared dead after their bus was swallowed by surging currents on Monday.
Megi packed sustained winds of 140mph and gusts of 162mph as it made landfall at midday at Palanan Bay in Isabela province, felling trees and cutting off power, phone and internet services in many areas.
As it crashed ashore, the typhoon whipped up huge waves.
There was zero visibility and radio reports said the wind was so powerful that people could not take more than a step at a time.
Ships and fishing vessels were told to stay in ports, and several domestic and international flights were cancelled.
It appeared to be losing some of its power while crossing the mountains of the Philippines' main northern island of Luzon.
With more than 3,600 Filipinos riding out the typhoon in school buildings, town halls and churches, roads in and out of coastal Isabela province, about 200 miles northeast of Manila, were deserted and blocked by collapsed trees and power lines.
One man who had just rescued his water buffalo slipped and fell into a river and probably drowned, said an official with the Cagayan provincial disaster agency.
Thousands of military reserve officers and volunteers were on standby, along with helicopters, including six Chinooks that were committed by US troops holding war exercises with Filipino soldiers near Manila, said Benito Ramos, a top disaster-response official."