GONI POUNDS PHILIPPINES

With sustained winds of 135 miles per hour on Sunday morning, Goni ranks among the most powerful tropical storms to make landfall, the New York Times reported.

By the end of the day, the typhoon had weakened and, aside from power outages, appeared to have spared the area in and around the capital, Manila.

At least 10 people, however, died in Albay Province in the Bicol region, which is to the east of Manila and was more squarely in the typhoon’s path.

In Bicol, nearly 400,000 people have been displaced, with almost 350,000 of them sheltering in evacuation centers.

As of 8 p.m. local time, the typhoon was over the South China Sea, to the west of Luzon, according to the national weather agency.

Scientists say climate change is increasing the Philippines’ risk of natural disasters, making it one of the most vulnerable countries on the planet. Goni is the 18th typhoon to strike the Philippines this year.