Typhoon Gaemi, along with a southwest monsoon, unleashed heavy rainfall on Wednesday in the Philippine capital region and northern provinces, compelling authorities to suspend work and classes, and leading to the suspension of stock and foreign exchange trading. The Philippine coastguard reported that 354 passengers and 31 vessels were stranded at ports, while Manila's airport authority announced the cancellation of 13 flights. The presidential office halted classes at all academic levels and work in most government offices within the capital region, which comprises 16 cities and is home to at least 13 million people, due to the tropical storm. Gaemi, characterized by maximum sustained winds of 155 kmph and gusts up to 190 kmph, was moving towards Taiwan, according to the Philippines' state weather agency in a 5am bulletin. Although it did not make landfall, it intensified the southwest monsoon, causing heavy to intense rainfall in northern Philippines. The agency warned of potential flooding and rain-induced landslides. Gaemi, along with another tropical storm, Prapiroon, impacted southern Philippines last week, resulting in seven fatalities due to flooding. The Philippines typically experiences an average of 20 tropical storms annually, which often lead to floods and fatal landslides.