Yes, the typhoon was named after the pungent fruit with the spikes on it -- do they not name typhoons in Asia after people? (The typhoon is also being referred to as Reming in the Philippines.) Durian was classified as a category-4 typhoon (you'll recall Katrina was a category 3 when it hit New Orleans), and is bringing winds of up to 190 km/hour (118 mph) and gusts of 225 km/hour (140 mph).
This is the fourth major hurricane to hit the Philippines in the last four months, and Manila is still recovering from September's Typhoon Xangsane/Milenyo, with a dead/missing persons toll of 230 people.
