A huge typhoon downed trees and flooded streets in Manila Tuesday, bringing traffic and commerce to a halt.

Schools and offices were closed and thousands of people were evacuated from river and seafront areas. A downtown hospital had to remove patients from its bottom floor.

Witnesses reported massive waves in Manila Bay and waist-deep water in the capital's historic old city.

One man said his motorcycle had become flooded and he had no idea where to find shelter.

Typhoon Nesat came ashore before dawn on the eastern coast of Luzon island and moved across the island with sustained winds of up to 140 kilometers an hour. Officials said the storm was twice as wide as a normal typhoon as it continued its course into the South China Sea.

A 20-month-old baby was reported dead after falling into a swollen river in eastern Luzon, while four fishermen were missing. Heavy damage was reported across the island, with many homes hit by falling limbs or having their roofs torn off.

Even before the storm hit, officials shut schools, canceled inter-island ferry service and ordered the evacuation of more than 100,000 people.