First typhoon of 2010 made landfall late Tuesday
The Philippines’ National Disaster Coordinating Council has reported 18 people are dead and another 57 missing as Tropical Storm Conson moved over the Philippines on Wednesday. The council said the storm, known locally as “Basyang,” had weakened slightly. Conson made landfall on the island of Luzon late Tuesday, about 66 kilometers east of the capital, Manila. It was back over the South China Sea, about 180 kilometers west of Iba, as of Wednesday afternoon. The council reported that four people died when a warehouse under construction collapsed, while others were hit by falling debris or drowned. Twelve people were injured by falling debris, and 25 fisherman are among those still missing. Nearly 500 houses were damaged, and many are still without power. The storm is expected to move into southern China on Friday, but the Joint Typhoon Warning Center is predicting little or no intensification before landfall there.