Typhoon slams high winds into eastern Philippines

Typhoon Conson slammed into the eastern Philippines on Tuesday, bringing high winds that caused power outages in several provinces.

It carried sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour with gusts of up to 150 kph, first making landfall at the coastal town of Hernani in Eastern Samar province before hitting nearby Samar province. 

The weather bureau said late Tuesday afternoon that Coson had weakened into a severe tropical storm as it moved west-northwestward over the Sibuyan Sea.  The Manila metro region was under a level 1 warning, which means strong winds were expected within the next 36 hours.