Storm warning signals lowered as 'Santi' weakens

MANILA, Philippines - Storm warning signals were lifted and lowered in provinces as typhoon "Santi" started to pull away from Luzon, the state weather bureau reported before noon Saturday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that as of 10 a.m., the typhoon was already over the West Philippine Sea or 100 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales.

The storm has also weakened, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 150 kph. The cyclone was moving west at the speed of 19 kph.

Public storm warning signal number 1 remains hoisted over Zambales and Bataan.

PAGASA said the typhoon will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Sunday morning.

The typhoon made landfall in Dingalan, Aurora on Friday night and cross several provinces in Central Luzon until early Saturday.

Local officials in Nueva Ecija said hundreds of hectares of rice fields were damaged by the typhoon's onslaught overnight.

One person has also been reported killed after his house was pinned by a toppled tree at the height of the typhoon on Friday night.

At least 17 villages have also been flooded in Bulacan province. Reports said that some villages were submerged in floods as deep as 12 feet.