As it roars through the Philippines, super typhoon Man Yi is expected to weaken.

The Philippines' main island, Luzon, was ravaged by the super typhoon Man Yi on Sunday. It brought heavy rain to the capital, Metro Manila. More than one million people were evacuated and buildings damaged in various areas.

Weather officials reported that the storm, which had winds of 185 km/h (115mph) when it hit land in Panganiban town in Catanduanes Province on Saturday night, weakened slightly before reaching the coast of Camarines Norte by 8 am.

Amalia Santisas said that she evacuated her home because the water level in the river near the coastal area of Manila, the capital city, rises every time a typhoon occurs.

"We are afraid because we have children with us," said Santisas. She was one of more than a half million people who were evacuated to avoid the storm surges that would be caused by the typhoon.

Ariel Nepomuceno, the civil defence chief in Catanduanes said that despite the evacuations there were no reported casualties, although the strong winds of the typhoon damaged houses, schools, and commercial buildings.

Man-Yi, the sixth tropical cyclone in the Philippines to strike the country within a month is hurling towards the central and southern areas of Luzon.

The state weather agency PAGASA issued a warning, urging precautionary measures, saying that "Pepito" (the storm's local name) was forecast to weaken slightly as a Typhoon before its second landfall.

The tropical cyclone will weaken significantly as it passes over Luzon.

A high-level storm alert was also declared for the eastern part of the islands Polillo and Calaguas.

Roberto Monterola, the provincial disaster officer, told DZBB that the wind had decreased in Virac and the rain was now a light drizzle. This allowed some people who sought shelter to go home. (Reporting and editing by Clarence Fernandez, Adrian Portugal, Karen Lema)

(source: Reuters)