(UPDATE) 2 killed as tropical storm hits Phl

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Two people have been killed as Tropical Storm Mekkhala (local name: Amang) landed in the central Philippine yesterday, the Philippine state disaster agency said today.

A volunteer worker from Bicol Region was the first casualty after being hit by a collapsed scaffolding caused by heavy winds in Tacloban city of the central province of Leyte on Saturday.

The second was a 59-year old man from Virac in eastern province of Catanduanes due to drowning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

Authorities conducted pre-emptive evacuation for 20,695 families or 113,160 persons in nine provinces in eastern and central Philippines.

A total of 152 houses were damaged by the storm.

Mekkhala has weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) and all public storm warning signals were lifted, the state weather forecasting agency said.

But the LPA was still expected to bring light to moderate rains over northern and central Luzon, it added.