Fresh storm batters Philippines

The fourth storm in a month to hit the Philippines has lashed the eastern coastal province of Quezon, bringing heavy rain and winds to the region.

Typhoon Mirinae followed a similar route to a September storm, Ketsana, which dumped the heaviest rains in 40 years on Manila.

At least seven people have been killed and several others are missing.Many regions are still reeling after the worst storm-related floods in decades, which have left hundreds dead.Mirinae, with winds of 150 km/h (93mph) and gusts of up to 186 km/h (115mph) made landfall on Quezon around midnight Friday, sweeping west, south of the capital and weakening into a tropical storm on Saturday afternoon.It is thought to be heading in the direction of Vietnam.One man was found dead and his one-year-old baby was missing after they were washed away while trying to cross an overflowing creek in Pililla township in Rizal province, east of Manila.

Six people were reported dead in Laguna province, just south of the capital.At least four others are believed to be missing.

In the town of Santa Cruz, hundreds of residents were seen wading through stagnant waters after the storm hit.Surrounding roads were flooded and naval boats sent to help with rescue efforts.

"The waters were really high. It was like a flashflood. It was waist deep in our area but in other areas it went as high as the rooftops," local official Marlon Albay was quoted as saying.Earlier, the authorities had ordered the evacuation of about 115,000 people in provinces south of the capital.

At least 10,000 left their homes in areas near rivers and the active Mayon volcano in Albay province, which the authorities feared might unleash rivers of mud and loose volcanic rock.Officials also closed schools and grounded ferries, and trucks loaded with relief supplies were sent to northern areas in the storm's path.About 180 flights from Manila were cancelled.

Before the storm arrived, residents in the city were told to prepare supplies to last 72 hours and stay indoors.Vanessa Tobin, the representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) in the Philippines, told the BBC that the rain had been very heavy in the capital early on Saturday, but that it had been replaced by strong winds."The reports from Manila are not as bad as had been expected," she said.

-BBC