Thousands flee Philippines coast as storm makes landfall

Thousands of residents fled their homes along the Pacific seaboard of the Philippines on Saturday as Tropical Storm Fengshen made landfall, triggering warnings of coastal flooding.

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The storm barrelled into the municipality of Gubat at the southeastern tip of the main island of Luzon late afternoon, with gusts of up to 80 kilometres an hour, the government weather service said.

Authorities said there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties, with evacuations already carried out in hazard-prone areas and low-lying communities.

"We had heavy rain and wind gusts, though they were not that strong," Gubat rescuer Ryan Estrellado told reporters by telephone.