Typhoon Usagi weakened sharply on Friday after bearing down on the Philippines' northern towns, blowing away houses in its path as authorities brace for another storm that could hit the capital Manila over the weekend.

The fifth major storm in three weeks slammed into the northeastern Philippines on Thursday, prompting more largescale evacuations and a United Nations call for emergency funds to help the government address the plight of hard-hit rural villagers.

Authorities in the Philippines on Thursday ordered evacuations in northeastern towns ahead of the arrival of Super Typhoon Usagi, as the storm-ravaged nation prepares for its fifth typhoon in a month and braces for a sixth later in the week.

The storm made landfall on the island of Luzon. Forecasters warned of torrential rain and landslides in the north of the country.

Typhoon Usagi struck the northern Philippines on Thursday afternoon, the fifth powerful storm to impact the country in three weeks, with the system set to swing north and move toward Taiwan.