Typhoon Megi Heads to China After Killing Ten in Philippines (Video)

A woman surveys her house, destroyed by the strong winds of typhoon Megi in a slum area in Manila Bay on October 19, 2010. The strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines in years killed at least 10 people as it generated waves as big as houses and destroyed swathes of vital rice crops, authorities said. (Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images)

[ South China Coast Braces for Super Typhoon - NTDTV ]

Super Typhoon Megi swept across northern Luzon, the main island of the Philippines, on Monday, leaving a swath of wreckage and ten people dead, AP reports.

Megi, a Category 5 Super Typhoon, hit with winds over 155 mph, though the storm weakened as it crossed Luzon’s mountains. Megi hit less populous areas of the island, which limited damage and casualties, but flooding and falling debris did claim ten lives, while at least nine were injured.

Besides flattening forests, Megi also hurt Luzon’s rice crop, according to the UK Telegraph. The storm hit Cagayan valley in Isabela province, where 12 percent of the nation’s rice is grown.

Regional Agriculture Director Andrew Villacorta told the Telegraph: “Our estimates showed about 159,000 metric tonnes will be lost from Isabela. About 88,000 hectares will be affected. In Cagayan province, about 43,000 hectares will be affected. The estimated loss will be around 63,000 metric tonnes.”

Typhoon Megi is heading for China now, and is expected to make landfall on Thursday. Chinese coastal dwellers are already evacuating parts of Guangdong and Hainan provinces.