Typhoon Rammasun kills 38 people and leaves millions without power in Philippines

Typhoon Rammasun has killed 38 people and left millions without power in central Philippines.

Ten more people were injured by the powerful storm and another eight remain missing, according to authorities.

Typhoon Rammasun swept through the country on Tuesday night before making a shift away from Manila on Wednesday.

More than 530,000 people took refuge in evacuation centers. Many of those who died were killed while outdoors by falling trees and flying debris.

Millions living in provinces southeast of the capital still have no power, according to news agencies.

Officials have managed to restore power to only half of Luzon, which has 17 million people.

Much of the eastern region of Bicol, which was hit first by the storm and is home to five million, is also without electricity.

Manila was hit by widespread blackouts as well, but most of the city’s power has since been restored.

Officials said more than one million people were affected by the storm. Most of them were from Bicol.

Typhoon Rammasun is now heading westwards towards China’s Hainan island. The Tropical Storm Risk website is predicting it will gain in strength to Category 2 – one grade below its strength in the Philippines – within 24 hours.