Typhoon Vongfong slams into eastern Philippines

A strong typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines on Thursday, after authorities evacuated tens of thousands of people while trying to avoid the virus risks of overcrowded emergency shelters.

The first typhoon to hit the country this year rapidly gained force as it blew from the Pacific then barged ashore in San Policarpio town in Eastern Samar province around noon, weather agency administrator Vicente Malano said.

The typhoon came as the Philippines is trying to fight COVID-19 outbreaks largely by locking Filipinos in their homes and prohibiting gatherings that would spread the virus.

More than 11,800 infections, including 790 deaths, have been reported in the country.

Typhoon Vongfong, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometres per hour (93 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 185 kph (115 mph), was forecast to blow northwestward and barrel across densely populated eastern provinces and cities before exiting in the north Sunday.

The government weather agency warned that "along with large swells, this storm surge may cause potentially life-threatening coastal inundation" and added that sea travel would be dangerous in regions expected to be battered by Vongfong, a Vietnamese word for wasp.

Manila will not be hit directly by the storm but maybe lashed by strong winds. Officials were advised to remove many medical quarantine tents set up outside hospitals that could be blown away, Malano said.