Locals evacuated as typhoon bears down

Thousands were evacuated in coastal provinces of the Philippines yesterday, ahead of a typhoon due to make landfall in a region hit by some of the country’s deadliest storms.

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Typhoon Kalmaegi is on a collision course with Leyte island, bringing 120-kilometre per hour winds and gusts of up to 150kph, according to the national weather service.

“Evacuations are ongoing in Palo and Tanauan,” said Leyte disaster official Roel Montesa, naming two of the towns hardest hit by storm surges in 2013, when Super Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people.

Thousands of residents have also been evacuated since Sunday on neighbouring Samar island, where 3m surges are predicted, according to civil defence official Randy Nicart.