Strong Typhoon, Quake Hit PhilippinesTyphoon Kirogi gained strength Wednesday as it started blowing out of the northern Philippines, swamping cities and farms in floods and killing at least seven people. Meanwhile, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.2 - followed by aftershocks - shook the Batanes Islands, one of the typhoon-battered regions at the country's northern tip.There were no immediate reports of casualties. The typhoon, along with a tropical depression blowing off the western coast of the northern main island of Luzon, have brought heavy rains as far as the central Philippines in the past two days. Forecasters said Typhoon Kirogi was located about 620 miles off the eastern side of 130 mph and gusts of up to 155 mph.
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