Super typhoon heads for Christmas Day blow to Philippines

Reports said Nock-Ten will affect an area populated by almost 42 million people, including the capital Manila.

Forecasters warned that the storm could bring lashing winds and dump heavy rain in several areas across of the country, including the capital, Manila.

According to PAGASA, as of 5:00 AM today, the eye of Bagyong Nina with worldwide name “Nock-ten” was located at 85 km North of Romblon, Romblon packed with maximum sustained winds of up to 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph.

Camarines Sur Governor Miguel Villafuerte made the announcement on his official Twitter account Monday morning.

In the Philippines, signal number 4 means a very intense typhoon is under way, with strong winds of more than 185kph coming within 12 hours’ time.

“We are used to typhoons hitting our country but it has disrupted celebrations and dampened the Christmas spirit for families”, he said.

“It’s really the rising waters in the slum areas that causes great threat to human life”, he said.

Shopping malls and stores were ordered to close early on Christmas Day to encourage people to remain indoors, “but at the height of the typhoon, many cars were still being driven around and people were out walking”, Daep said.

Marasigan said hundreds of people in Bicol celebrated Christmas day in evacuation centers where many had to make do with emergency food packs.

Nina made its fifth landfall over Tingloy town and continued to move westward at 20 kilometers per hour.

Destructive winds, storm surge flooding and heavy rainfall are expected in Bicol with the nearest approach of Nock-ten/Nina.

There are also about 5000 people who were planning to travel by sea but have become stranded in ports as the tempest moved in.

It is not clear how long it will take for initial damage assessments, with electricity and phone coverage likely to be knocked out for some time.

The storm cut power lines and uprooted trees, but no deaths were reported.

Tsunami-like waves – storm surges – devastated the city of Tacloban and nearby areas when super typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines in November 2013, leaving 7,350 people dead or missing.