Typhoon Gaemi forces Philippines to halt work, cancel flights

Typhoon Gaemi and a southwest monsoon brought heavy rain on Wednesday to the Philippine capital region and northern provinces, prompting authorities to halt work and classes, while stock and foreign exchange trading were suspended.

The Philippine coastguard said 354 passengers and 31 vessels were stranded in ports while airlines cancelled 13 flights on Wednesday, Manila's airport authority said.

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The presidential office suspended classes at all academic levels and work in most government offices in the capital region, which is composed of 16 cities and home to at least 13 million people, because of the tropical storm.

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Gaemi, with maximum sustained winds of 155 kmph and gustiness of up to 190 kmph, was heading towards Taiwan, the Philippines' state weather agency said in a 5am bulletin.

It did not make landfall but it is enhancing a southwest monsoon, resulting in heavy to intense rain in northern Philippines, the agency said. "Flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely."

Gaemi and another tropical storm, Prapiroon, hit southern Philippines and caused floods last week, resulting in seven deaths.

The Philippines sees an average of 20 tropical storms annually, causing floods and deadly landslides.

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