Heavy rains and strong winds flattened houses in coastal areas as Typhoon Noul crashed into the northeastern tip of the Philippines, killing two people and prompting more than 3,000 residents to move to shelters.
The typhoon weakened slightly after hitting land, with winds of 160 kph (99 mph) near the center and gusts of up to 195 kph (121 mph) as of Monday. It is expected to move north at 19 kph and head toward southern Japan by Tuesday, the Weather Bureau said.
British-based Tropical Storm Risk on Monday downgraded Noul to Category 4 typhoon from Category 5.