Philippines typhoon: 19 dead after widespread destruction

A powerful typhoon has left at least 19 people dead, knocked down power and communications in entire provinces and wrought widespread destruction mostly in the central Philippines, officials said.

Typhoon Rai blew away into the South China Sea after rampaging through southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 people in its path were evacuated to safety in a pre-emptive move officials say may have saved a lot of lives.

Witnesses described ferocious winds that ripped off roofs and forced down trees, while others experienced severe flooding that trapped residents in their houses.

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