MANILA (Reuters) - Typhoon Fengshen killed at least 17 people in floods and landslides in the Philippines and left a ferry adrift with over 700 passengers and crew on Saturday.
The Princess of the Stars stalled in rough seas nearSibuyan island in the central Philippines with 626 passengersand 121 crew on board, officials said.
"It's dead on the water but we can't get to it because ofbig waves," said a coast guard spokesman. The boat left Manilaon Saturday morning for the central province of Cebu.
In the southern Philippines, 10 people drowned and fivewere missing after a river burst its banks in Maguindanaoprovince. In Cotabato City, a man and a child were buried in alandslide at a rubbish dump, police said. Five other peoplewere also drowned.
Fengshen, with winds gusting up to 195 kph (121 mph), ismoving through the centre of the Southeast Asian country and isexpected to exit on Sunday and head north towards Taiwan,according to storm tracker website www.tropicalstormrisk.com.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered clean-up andrescue operations before her departure for an 8-day state visitto the United States.
In the south, the navy used motorised rubber boats torescue residents stranded in chest-deep water.
Fengshen, the sixth typhoon to hit the Philippines thisyear, tore up trees and power lines across wide swathes of thecountry. Flights were cancelled and ships kept in harbour.
In Boracay, the Philippines' top holiday island, touristsdeserted the white beach and headed for bars and restaurants.
"We have assured people we will be able to get them outtomorrow," said Jay Paraoan, a hotel worker.
Heavy rain drenched Manila and rescue crews were at theready in case of flooding.
"We'll sleep overnight at the emergency centre," MetroManila Development Authority general manager Roberto Naciancenotold local radio.
About 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year,triggering flooding and mass evacuations. Environmental groupsblame illegal logging for making flooding worse, particularlyin the central Philippines, where more than 5,000 people werekilled in 1991 by floodwaters triggered by a typhoon.
In February 2006, 1,000 people were buried when a mudslidefrom a barren mountain submerged a farming village on a centralisland.
(Reporting by Carmel Crimmins and Manny Mogato; Editing byRichard Meares)
