Typhoon Nesat hit northern Philippines bringing strong winds and intensifying monsoon rains.<br/> Manila Bay swelled and flooded a seaside boulevard stranding commuters.<br/> Philippines financial markets were shut and schools and government offices closed due to the weather.<br/> The category three typhoon made landfall in Aurora province, north of the capital with winds of 200 kilometers per hour as it hit.<br/> In the low-lying eastern suburb of Marikina, water levels rose near the critical level of 18 meters.<br/> Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) SEAMAN MARK TORRES, SAYING:<br/> "It's getting deep, our house is already on high ground but the floods still reached it. I'm just moving (my scooter) out."<br/> A school in the capital provided temporary shelter.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) SCHOOL EMPLOYEE EVELYN DE GUZMAN, SAYING:<br/> "The waters are swelling more and more. Since it started raining yesterday, the floods just went up higher and higher, it's not subsiding."<br/> Disaster management officials said, seven people, including a 22 month-old boy had died in the storm.<br/> Typhoon Nesat is forecast to exit the Philippines by Wednesday but bad weather conditions are expected for the next two days.<br/> Marie-Claire Fennessy, Reuters
