2nd Typhoon Lashes Philippines

Typhoon Skip, packing more power than Typhoon Ruby’s deadly march across the Philippines two weeks ago, blasted the central region of the Philippines today, setting off floods and mudslides that left more than 300,000 people homeless or forced to flee.

There were no immediate reports on damage or casualties as Skip’s 109-m.p.h. winds punched the island province of Leyte, knocking out electricity, and cut a swath of destruction across the central Visayan region, weathermen said.