Typhoon Kills 6, Spoils Christmas Festivities in Philippines

Typhoon Kills 6, Spoils Christmas Festivities in Philippines
A man pets a dog along a flooded street caused by rains from Typhoon Nock-Ten in Quezon city, north of Manila, Philippines on on Dec. 26, 2016. AP Photo/Aaron Favila
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BATANGAS, Philippines—A powerful typhoon blew out of the northern Philippines on Monday after killing at least six people and spoiling Christmas in several provinces, where more than 380,000 people abandoned celebrations at home to reach emergency shelters and other safer grounds.

Typhoon Nock-Ten cut power to five entire provinces due to toppled electric posts and trees, dimming Christmas revelries in Asia’s largest Catholic nation. More than 300 flights were delayed or re-scheduled and ferries were barred from sailing, stranding more than 12,000 holiday travelers.

Six people died from drowning or by being pinned by fallen trees, poles and a collapsed concrete wall in the provinces of Quezon and Albay, southeast of Manila, after the typhoon made landfall in Catanduanes province Sunday night, officials said.

Many military camps and outposts in Catanduanes and outlying provinces were damaged and some troops were injured, the military said.

The passenger ferry Shuttle Roro 5 which rests by the shore after being swept by typhoon Nock-Ten a day after Christmas at Mabini township, Batangas province south of Manila, Philippines on Dec. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
The passenger ferry Shuttle Roro 5 which rests by the shore after being swept by typhoon Nock-Ten a day after Christmas at Mabini township, Batangas province south of Manila, Philippines on Dec. 26, 2016. AP Photo/Bullit Marquez