Roofs were ripped in the capital. Falling trees produced most of casualties. Manila staged anti-disaster drills two weeks ago to prepare, said its Mayor Joseph Estrada. The typhoon destroyed more than 7,000 houses and damaged more than 19,000. The infrastructure suffered important damages. In about a dozen provinces and the Philippine capital the emergency shelters were full, according to the executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Alexander Pama. Typhoon Rammasun is the seventh storm to batter the Philippines and the first typhoon to directly impact the Philippines in 2014. A total 50 flights were cancelled and maritime seaports were closed. Rammasun may strengthen over the South China Sea before reaching either Vietnam or southern China, according to government forecasters.
