A POWERFUL storm hit the northern Philippines today, toppling trees, knocking out power and dumping heavy rain as thousands sheltered with neighbours or in emergency evacuation centres.

Typhoon Doksuri was packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 175kph an hour as it hovered over waters around Fuga Island, off the northern tip of the main island of Luzon, the state weather agency said in its latest update at 0000 GMT.