Hundreds of people evacuate as typhoon lashes Philippines

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said 308 people were evacuated in the southern city of Surigao, 735 kilometres south of Manila, as heavy rains spawned by tropical storm Rumbia flooded low-lying communities.

More than a thousand people have been stranded on the central island of Visayas and the southern region of Mindanao as Coast Guard authorities prevented passenger and cargo ships from plying their routes.

The Philippine weather bureau said Rumbia was whipping the affected areas with gusts of up to 105 kilometres an hour and winds of up to 90 kilometres an hour.

The eye of the storm was located 380 kilometres east of Surigao City and was heading west at 15 kilometres per hour, threatening to hit the central city of Cebu.

The weather bureau warned coastal waters would be rough and dangerous to all types of seacraft and urged residents in the coastal areas to evacuate to higher areas because large waves could cause flash flooding.

Early in the month, two powerful typhoons pummelled the northern Philippines one after another, leaving at least 60 people dead and destroying millions of pesos worth of crops, properties and infrastructure.

(la/dpa)