Financial markets, government offices and schools were closed and port operations in some provinces were suspended, it said. Several flights were cancelled.

The weather bureau said cyclone Maring, which was packing winds of up to 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph), made landfall in the morning over Mauban municipality in the eastern province of Quezon.

Romina Marasigan, a spokeswoman for the Philippine disaster agency, said two teenage brothers died from a landslide in Taytay, Rizal, 20 kilometres (12.43 miles) from Manila.

"Some residents, unfortunately, did not heed the advice of local officials to evacuate to safer grounds," she said in a media briefing.

Marasigan warned of more flash floods and landslides as rains were expected to continue later in the day, before the cyclone moves back over the sea early on Wednesday.

Twenty-two passengers were rescued from a bus stuck in floodwaters in Pitogo town in Quezon, she said.

Local officials ordered the evacuation of residents in some towns under floodwaters in Quezon, Laguna, Rizal and Batangas provinces, she said.

The weather bureau said it was also keeping an eye on Typhoon Talim which was packing winds of up to 120 kph (75 mph), spotted moving toward the Philippines' northern tip and to Taiwan.

REUTERS