Typhoon Mangkhut entered the northern tip of the country in the early hours of Saturday, killing at least four people as it caused floods, landslides and power outages.

Residents walk along destroyed stalls at a public market due to strong winds as Typhoon Mangkhut barreled across Tuguegrao city in Cagayan province, northeastern Philippines on September 15, 2018.
Residents walk along destroyed stalls at a public market due to strong winds as Typhoon Mangkhut barreled across Tuguegrao city in Cagayan province, northeastern Philippines on September 15, 2018. (AP)

A strong typhoon tore through the northern tip of the Philippines on Saturday packing winds of more than 200 kph along with torrential rain, killing four people and causing floods, landslides and power outages.

Residents living along the coastal community of Baseco seek temporary shelter at an evacuation center at the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut.
Residents living along the coastal community of Baseco seek temporary shelter at an evacuation center at the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut. (AP)

Mangkhut entered the Philippines as a super typhoon in the early hours, and sent winds and rains across the entire main island of Luzon, home to about half the country's 105 million people.

A man looks at a damaged house due to strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut in Tuguegarao city.
A man looks at a damaged house due to strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut in Tuguegarao city. (AP)

Typhoon Mangkhut at one point had maximum gusts of 305 kph before it exited the land area before noon and moved towards southern China and Vietnam with reduced wind speeds of 170 kph.

A government worker picks up pieces from a structure destroyed by strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut in Tuguegarao city.
A government worker picks up pieces from a structure destroyed by strong winds from Typhoon Mangkhut in Tuguegarao city. (AP)

Rapid response teams were on standby with the air force for search and rescue missions as authorities undertook damage assessments in areas in the path of the storm, which felled trees, electricity poles and tore off shop signs and sheet metal roofs hundreds of kilometres away.

A traffic enforcer gestures at motorists to avoid a flooded street at the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut in Manila.
A traffic enforcer gestures at motorists to avoid a flooded street at the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut in Manila. (AP)

Philippine state weather agency PAGASA downgraded the domestic threat level, but warned the danger was far from over, with continued storm surges and heavy rains that could trigger floods and more landslides.

Source: AP