Typhoon Rammasun kills 10 and injures hundreds in central Philippines Tuesday July 15,2014

At least 10 people have been killed and hundreds injured after a typhoon swept through the central Philippines, knocking out power lines in much of the country

Rammasun - the Thai term for god of thunder - is the 7th storm to batter the Philippines this year.

Winds of up to 115mph brought down trees and electrical posts, badly damaged a parked plane and tore the roof of schools and government buildings as Typhoon Rammasun forced 370,000 people to flee their homes in high-risk villages and seek emergency shelter.

But the death toll would almost certainly be higher had the Typhoon not suddenly changed direction shortly before reaching the capital Manila, heading instead towards the South China Sea.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said he was relieved there were no reported deaths after the typhoon sideswiped his city, although its wind still downed trees and damaged seaside shanties, prompting more than 1,000 residents to evacuate.

About 20 typhoons and storm lash the archipelago on the western edge of the Pacific each year, making it one of the world's most disaster-prone countries.