Super Typhoon Fung-wong slams into Philippines, two dead

By Adrian Portugal and Eloisa Lopez

ISABELA, Philippines (Reuters) -Super Typhoon Fung-Wong made land in the Philippines on Sunday with two fatalities reported and 1 million people evacuated ahead of one of the nation's most powerful storms this year.

The storm crossed over the north of the archipelago's most populous island Luzon, weather bureau PAGASA said, with torrential rain, sustained winds of 185 kph (115 mph) and gusts of up to 230 kph (140 mph).

It was the 21st storm this year to hit a nation only just recovering from Typhoon Kalmaegi, which left 224 dead in the Philippines and five in Vietnam.

"We heard on the news that the typhoon is very strong, so we evacuated early," said Christopher Sanchez, 50, who camped with his family on a basketball court in Isabela province on Luzon.

Given previous flooding, the family moved possessions to their roof before leaving. "We’re scared. We're here with our grandchildren and our kids," he said in the sports arena dotted by tents, elderly people on plastic chairs and children roaming.

FATALITIES

Luzon and another island Eastern Visayas bore the brunt of the storm's early onslaught, with one person drowned and another trapped under debris, authorities said.

The storm was expected to weaken as it moves inland.

Pope Leo offered prayers for the predominantly Catholic nation. "I am close to the people of the Philippines affected by a violent typhoon. I pray for the deceased and their families, for the injured and the displaced," he said on Sunday.

In Luzon island's Aurora province where the storm arrived, lights went out but phone lines were still working, civil defence official Cheng Quizon told DZBB radio.

Several airports, including Sangley near the capital Manila and Bicol to the south, closed.

Fung-Wong is expected to head north of the Philippines and reach coastal waters on Monday morning while remaining a typhoon, PAGASA said, before heading out to sea and weakening as it reaches west Taiwan on Thursday.

(Reporting by Karen LemaAdditional reporting by Minh Nguyen and Thinh Nguyen in Vietnam, and Francesca Landini in MilanEditing by David Goodman and Andrew Cawthorne)