Philippine capital cleans up after storm kills 20

Emergency services and residents in the Philippine capital cleaned up and restored electricity on Wednesday after a powerful typhoon unleashed floodwaters and fierce wind that killed at least 20 people and sent huge waves crashing over seawalls.
Debris litters the scenic Roxas boulevard near a seawall in Manila after Typhoon Nesat battered the capital and other pa
Debris litters the scenic Roxas boulevard near a seawall in Manila after Typhoon Nesat battered the capital and other pa

Most deaths occurred in and around metropolitan Manila, which already was soaked by heavy monsoon rains ahead of Tuesday's arrival of Typhoon Nesat, which brought more downpours and wind gusts of up to 150 kilometres per hour.

The typhoon blew out of the Philippines on Wednesday packing winds of 120 kph and was expected to make landfall on China's Hainan Island on Thursday evening or early Friday.

The Philippine disaster agency said 35 people were still unaccounted for and that 108 had been rescued.

Power supply was gradually restored to the downtown area, which was strewn with trash and fallen bamboo pieces washed ashore by storm surges. The Metro Rail Transit also resumed operations.

Strong winds toppled about 40 huge trees around the capital's tourist district and 3,500 people were moved from shantytowns into three school buildings, where they spent the night huddled amid continuing rains.

Emergency repair crews were clearing roads of trees, debris and stalled cars as schools and offices reopened on Wednesday.

AP