A typhoon killed at least 10 people as it churned across the Philippines and hit the capital, prompting the evacuation of almost 150,000 people and shutting financial markets, government offices and schools.
The eye of Typhoon Rammasun, known locally as Glenda, has passed to the south of Manila after cutting a path through eastern islands, toppling trees and power lines and causing electrocutions and blackouts.
It brought storm surges to Manila Bay and prompted disaster officials to evacuate slum-dwellers on the capital's outskirts.
Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, said there was minimal damage in the capital but staff were trying to rescue people trapped by fallen debris in Batangas City to the south where two people were electrocuted.
"We have not received reports of major flooding in Metro Manila because the typhoon did not bring rain, but the winds were strong," he said.
A 25-year-old woman was killed when she was hit by a falling electricity pole as Rammasun hit the east coast on Tuesday, the Philippine disaster agency said.
A pregnant woman was killed when a house wall collapsed in Lucena City in Quezon province south of the capital.
Nearly 150,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in low-lying and coastal areas.
More than 60 international and domestic flights have been cancelled over the past two days.
Trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange and Philippine Dealing System, used for foreign exchange trading, were suspended after government offices were ordered shut.
Typhoon Rammasun made landfall late on Tuesday over Rapu-Rapu island in the eastern province of Albay.
Rammasun is the storm which has come the closest to Manila in about four years and storm surges were also likely in Manila Bay.
The province of Leyte which was devastated by super typhoon Haiyan in November has not been spared--several areas have been flooded and Haiyan survivors living in tents have been evacuated to safety.
Rhea Catada, who works for Oxfam in Tacloban, which suffered the brunt of Haiyan, said thousands of people in tents and coastal villages had been evacuated to higher ground.
"They are scared because their experiences during Haiyan last year are still fresh," she said. "Now they are evacuating voluntarily and leaving behind their belongings."
Tropical Storm Risk, which monitors cyclones, labelled Rammasun a category-two storm on a scale of one to five as it headed west into the South China Sea.
Super typhoon Haiyan was category five.
Landslides and storm surges
At least forty other provinces and cities have been placed under a storm alert.
Gwendolyn Pang from Philippines Red Cross has told Radio Australia power cuts in the aftermath of the storm are making it difficult to assess the initial damage so far.
"We were told that in some area about 25 per cent of the houses in coastal areas have been damaged," she said.
"For now getting to many of the areas is a challenge because of the debris that you can see on the roads.
"Many people were evacuated early on, so in terms of loss of life we have not received many significant reports at the moment."
Disaster officials said at least 300,000 people had fled from their homes in Albay province alone, and almost 6,000 ferry passengers were stranded in ports after the coast guard suspended voyages.
A state of calamity has been declared in the eastern provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, and Albay Governor Joey Salceda continues to call for extreme caution.
"Don't cross rivers-major cause of casualty, don't sail to sea."
The province ordered the evacuation of low-lying and coastal areas, as well as villages at risk of landslides.
"The wind is very strong, we are really being battered," Joey Salceda, governor of coconut- and rice-growing Albay province said, adding he expected high economic losses rather than casualties.
School, flights cancelled
Albay and Camarines Sur provinces declared a state of calamity, officials said, which will allow the release of funds for relief efforts.
President Benigno Aquino said the armed forces were on full alert.
"I reiterate, the objective has to be: minimize the casualties and the hardship of our people," he said.
The storm will pass north of Eastern Samar and Leyte, the provinces worst hit by Haiyan, where some residents are still living in tents due to slow recovery efforts.
Those areas may see heavy rain and strong winds.
Governor Miguel Villafuerte of Camarines Sur said he had asked the army to help with mandatory evacuations.
Despite all the warnings, many residents were reluctant to leave home.
"We are prepared for the worst," said 67-year-old Rosemarie Poblete of Tobaco City in Albay, whose family of four lives near a river swollen by heavy rain.
"We bought extra food and candles and are ready for any emergency," she said.
ABC/Wires
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