Typhoon to hit Philippines on Christmas evening

By Hader Glang

ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines (AA) - Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated in the central Philippines ahead of a powerful typhoon expected to make landfall Christmas evening.

The Philippine Inquirer reported Sunday that 15,376 families -- or 76,399 persons -- were evacuated in Albay province in the southeast of northern Luzon island as Typhoon Nock-ten -- locally known as Nina -- intensified as it approaches the archipelago.

A bulletin released by the state weather bureau PAGASA at 11 a.m. (0300GMT) said the storm was located 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Catanduanes island province packing maximum winds of up to 185 km per hour and gustiness of up to 255 km per hour.

It was headed west at 15 km per hour.

PAGASA issued the highest alert for Catanduanes, warning that winds of 171 to 220 km per hour could strike over the next 12 hours, GMA News reported.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast within a 500-km diameter of the storm, which is expected to sweep the capital Manila region Sunday night.

Nock-ten is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning.

The Philippines suffers around 20 typhoons and storms each year, many of them deadly.

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan -- one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded -- struck the country’s central islands, leaving more than 8,000 people dead, missing and injured.