The strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year swept across central islands today with 125 mph winds, killing at least one person, sinking numerous ships and forcing thousands to flee their homes. The navy said a merchant ship with 16 crew members was missing off Mindanao island and that 16 boats had sunk off Cebu island. Three sailors were reported missing in the Cebu sinkings. At least 17 people, including six Americans, were trapped on an oil rig off Palawan island after 68 other workers were evacuated, said Maj. Antonio Babijes, chief of the Manila Rescue Coordinating Center. He said officials asked U.S. Air Force and Navy authorities to assist in evacuating the rig after a rescue boat was forced back by rough seas. The rig is operated by Alcorn Production-Philippines Inc. The confirmed death occurred in the Panay island province of Capiz when a tree fell on a 10-year-old boy, a spokeswoman for the governor said. Typhoon Mike made landfall on Leyte island eary today and was by midday centered over Iloilo City on Panay island, about 290 miles southeast of Manila, the capital's weather bureau said. Senior forecaster Daniel Dimagiba said the storm's maximum sustained winds had weakened to 103 mph and that it was moving at 19 mph west-northwest after crossing Leyte, Cebu and Negros and hitting Panay islands. Cmdr. Ruben Lista, spokesman of the Philippine navy, said a distress call was received from the cargo ship Dona Roberta early today. The call said the ship was taking in water about 500 miles south of Manila, Lista said. It was the last radio contact with the ship, which was presumed to have sank, he added. In Cebu, Lista said, 16 vessels sank off the Cebu docks and six others ran aground. He said huge waves pushed a passenger ship into a navy patrol craft and another domestic ferry, sinking the three vessels. He said there were no reports if the vessels were had passengers at the time. Three navy utility crafts also sank nearby and three sailors were reported missing in two of the vessels, he added. On Negros island, a spokeswoman from the office of the governor of Negros Occidental province said about 9,500 people were forced to flee their homes in six towns. Officials said nearly 200 houses had been destroyed or damaged. The seas were dangerous to all types of vessels. Philippine Airlines canceled 59 domestic flights, but international flights were unaffected. The typhoon is the 14th to hit the Philippines this year. About 20 typhoons hit the country yearly. It was the strongest typhoon to come ashore here this year and the strongest to enter the country's waters since December, Dimagiba said. Mike struck Palau island over the weekend, toppling trees, devastating crops and battering buildings.
