Typhoon Rai claims 12 lives in Philippines

At least 12 people have died in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, after the storm swept across the archipelago uprooting trees, toppling power poles and flooding villages.

Report informs, citing foreign media, that more than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai pummelled the southern and central regions of the country on Friday, knocking out communications in some areas and tearing roofs off buildings.

12 people have been reported killed during the storm, which lashed the popular tourist destination of Palawan island after ravaging the Visayas and the southern island of Mindanao.

At least 62 cities have been hit by partial or complete power cuts.