'Pedring' kills 5 in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines - At least five people have been reported killed in Metro Manila as typhoon "Pedring" continued to slam the metropolis with strong winds before noon today.

Radio reports said that four people were buried alive inside their house after a wall collapsed in Barangay Mapulang Lupa, Valenzuela this morning.

The fatalities include a grandmother and her three grandchildren, report said.

The report said that the four victims were about to leave the house when the wall collapsed into their home due to strong winds.

Authorities are waiting for a backhoe to dig up the bodies under mud and debris.

An earlier report said that a mother died and her 13-year-old son was hurt after a tree fell into their makeshift house in Caloocan City.

The incident happened around 6:15 a.m.

In its 6 a.m. report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that one-year-old Chawn Andrie Daliora died after falling into a creek in Barangay Cabugao, Bato town, Catanduanes province. The boy's body was recovered 10:00 p.m. yesterday.

The NDRRMC has yet to confirm the reported fatalities in Metro Manila.

'Pedring' moves to Baguio

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported in its 11 a.m. weather bulletin that "Pedring" slightly weakened as it cross the rugged terrain of Sierra Madre Mountain Range.

As of 10 a.m., the storm's eye was estimated at 100 kilometers east of Baguio City. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 150 kph.

The storm was moving west northwest at 19 kph.

PAGASA said that the storm's estimated location by Wednesday morning was 300 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur.

Public storm warning signal No. 3 remains hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Viscaya and Pangasinan.

Storm warning signal No. 2 is currently placed over Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Bataan and Metro Manila.

The areas of Babuyan and Calayan group of Islands, northern Quezon, Polillo Island, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Lubang Island and Cavite.

In Metro Manila, classes in all levels and government work were suspended due to the typhoon.

Operations of the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 and Metro Rail Transit as power outages hit a large part of the capital region.