A super typhoon ripped through Philippines’ largest island on Sunday, knocking down houses and sending more than half a million people to emergency shelters, as rare back-to-back storms cause havoc across an exhausted nation.

Authorities took no chances before Man-yi hit and ordered the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from their homes.

Super typhoon Man-Yi swept across the Philippines' main island of Luzon on Sunday, threatening heavy rain in the capital region Metro Manila, after triggering more than a million evacuations and damaging buildings in several areas.