Philippine disaster officials on Saturday ordered people living in coastal villages south of Manila to move to safer places as Typhoon Nock-ten is approaching the country.

Speaking for the national disaster agency, Mina Marasigan told reporters that evacuation has got underway along the coastlines of Albay province to avoid possible storm surge and strong winds.

She said alert levels have been raised in many provinces that are in the path of Typhoon Nock-ten. The typhoon is expected to make landfall in Virac, Catandunaes province Sunday afternoon or evening.

Typhoon Nock-ten, locally known as Nina, is gaining strength, according to the weather bureau.

The bureau warned in its 5 p.m. (local time) bulletin that the typhoon, packing maximum winds of up to 175 km per hour and gusts of up to 215 km per hour, could trigger a storm surge of up to 2 meters in at least 10 provinces, including Catanduanes, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Quezon and Samar.

As of 4 p.m. (local time) Saturday, the bureau said the eye of Typhoon Nock-ten was spotted 320 km northeast of Borongan City in Easter Samar.

Several flights have been cancelled, stranding many passengers who wish to spend Christmas eve and Christmas with their families in the provinces.

The bureau said the typhoon is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains within its 500 km diameter.

"Sea travel is risky over the seaboard of northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of central Luzon," the bureau said.

source: Xinhua