Typhoon Hagupit (Ruby) Latest News Update 2014: Sigh Of Relief In Philippines as Hagupit Loses Punch

A sigh of relief reverberated throughout the Philippines late on Monday after the much feared Typhoon Hagupit weakened considerably and spared the already storm-battered country of further destruction.

Nevertheless, the authorities reported 21 typhoon-related deaths as of Monday afternoon after the storm ripped through the country's eastern coastal and central islands, flattening homes and toppling trees and power lines.

Despite the casualties, there was relief that Hagupit had not brought destruction on the scale of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 7,000 people in the same areas of central Philippines in November last year.

The Philippine government attributed the low casualty count to the extensive preparation made days before the storm made its first landfall. The authorities had launched a massive evacuation operation ahead of the storm, emptying whole towns and villages in coastal and landslide prone areas.

"We saw that with preparation and being alert we prevented tragedy and harm. We took our countrymen away from harm," Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas told a televised government disaster meeting in Samar. "It is sad to hear news of deaths, but this is very low, way below what the potential was."

Originally a Category 5 howler in the Pacific Ocean, packing winds of up to 195 kph with gusts of up to 230 kph, Hagupit weakened into a Category 3 typhoon on Saturday night when it made its first landfall on Samar island and then on the smaller island of Masbate.

The typhoon further weakened and was downgraded into a tropical storm on Monday with winds of 105 kph and gusts of up to 135 kph, moving at a slow 10 kph west northwest.

The Philippine weather bureau said Hagupit was on course to hit Batangas province, around 90 km south of Manila, on Monday evening, and would later cross Manila Bay about 50 km west of the city.

Financial markets, schools and non-vital government offices in the capital were closed and people in low-lying areas and near waterways were moved to shelters. Soldiers and emergency workers were put on standby to respond to any contingency.

Following the passage of the storm through their areas, many families who had sought shelter in churches and schools began returning home on Monday.

In Manila and surrounding areas, residents living in low-lying areas were still at risk of potential flash floods, storm surges and landslides up to Tuesday as the storm moved slowly westwards, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the country's weather agency, said.

PAGASA attributed the weakening of Hagupit's power to the "Amihan" winds, the cold air blowing from the north at this time of the year. Typhoons need warm, humid air to grow, but "Amihan" brings cold, dry air, it said.

Typhoon Hagupit earlier knocked out power in the coastal provinces of Samar and Leyte, mowed down trees and sent more than a million people fleeing to shelters.

Tacloban City, the ground zero of last year's Typhoon Hainan devastation, was not hit that badly this time. Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez said damage to the city appeared minor compared to last year's massive destruction. "Thank God, the typhoon spared us and we have no reported casualties," Romualdez said. "By the end of the day we expect the people to return to their homes from shelter areas."

Meanwhile, some countries have already pledged to provide humanitarian assistance to the Philippines. They include the U.S., Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, U.K. and China, according to authorities.

In a statement, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said the commission has dispatched a team of humanitarian experts to support the Philippine government.

"The Philippines is not alone as they brace up for a possible hardship. The EU supported the emergency response and recovery efforts in the aftermath of last year's super-typhoon Haiyan and we will again do our best to assist those who need our help," Stylianides said.