Typhoon Ofel (international name: Usagi) swamped rural villages in floods, knocked down power and displaced thousands more people before blowing away on Friday from the northern Philippines, which has now been pounded by five major storms in less than a month.

Typhoon Ofel (international name: Usagi) weakened sharply on Friday after bearing down on the Philippines' northern towns, blowing away houses in its path as authorities brace for another cyclone that could hit the capital Manila over the weekend.